Lithuania to buy patrol vessels from Finland – ministry

VILNIUS - Lithuania plans to acquire patrol vessels from Finland, Lithuania's Ministry of National Defense said on Wednesday.

The acquisition of Jehu-class patrol boats was discussed during Lithuanian Deputy National Defense Minister Vilius Semeska's meeting with Raimo Jyvasjarvi, national armament director general at Finland's Ministry of Defense.

A procurement agreement is expected to be signed shortly.

Semaska says these vessels would increase Lithuania's coastal surveillance capabilities and fill the operational gap in the Curonian Lagoon.

The Ministries of Defense of Lithuania and Finland have also renewed the memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the area of acquisitions, further strengthening and expanding bilateral cooperation in the areas of armament and defense technologies. The memorandum will also facilitate the exchange of information, research and joint procurement.

The memorandum was first signed in 2005 and remained in force until 2015. Taking the changed geopolitical situation and the need to develop further bilateral cooperation into account, Lithuania and Finland renewed the defense cooperation document.

Lithuania is already cooperating with Finland on the acquisition of command and control systems, the Lithuanian ministry noted. Following the signing of the agreement in late 2016, the Lithuanian army installed and is currently expanding Systematic;s SitaWare Battle Management System, including additional products. 

In 2017, a contract was signed with Finnish company Navielektro Ky on a software upgrade of Lithuania's integrated maritime surveillance system and technical surveillance means system. Lithuania also plans to sign a contract this year on upgrading the system to handle classified information.