“The final [deadline] of 2035 is entirely possible,” the minister said after Wednesday’s meeting with President Gitanas Nausėda.
According to the minister, additional appropriations for defence will determine how fast the tank battalion can be created.
Lithuania earlier announced plans to establish a tank battalion, but new Minister of National Defence Laurynas Kasčiūnas proposes creating a tank company and boosting air defence capabilities instead. However, the tank company would be gradually increased to battalion size.
He suggests that Lithuania should acquire two more medium-range air defence systems. Yet the presidency says this initiative on air defence must not delay the creation of a division-sized unit, planned to be completed by 2030.
Chief of Defence General Valdemaras Rupšys earlier told the media that with the current rate of defence spending the Armed Forces division could reach its operational capacity only in 2035.
At the moment Lithuania does not operate any main battle tanks, but has 89 infantry fighting vehicles Vilkas (Boxer). The Government has decided to procure German tanks Leopard 2.