VILNIUS – The Defense Materiel Agency under the Ministry of Defense of Lithuania on Friday signed a 45-million-euro contract with a Swedish company on acquisition of missiles for anti-aircraft systems, the Defense Ministry said in a press release.
The contract signed with SAAB Dynamics AB concerns acquisition of Bolide- and MK2-type guided missiles for short-range anti-aircraft systems RBS-70. According to the ministry, the missiles will help ensure more effective execution of air defense tasks.
RBS-70-type missile systems are part of the arsenal of the Air Defense Battalion of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
The ministry stated that those systems had been chosen due to particularly easy maintenance, mobility and absolute resistance to mechanical and electromagnetic disturbances.
MK2 missiles with a range of 7 kilometers and the maximum altitude of 4 kilometers are used by many NATO allies, according to the press release. New generation Bolide-type missiles represent an improved version of MK2 missiles with a new engine, which makes the missiles faster, improve their maneuverability as well as range and altitude parameters.
The press release quoted Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas as saying that increasing defense spending opened up possibilities to step up procurement of weapons and ensure better preparedness of the Lithuanian army.
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