Lithuanian, Latvian military jointly buy gasmasks for EUR 3 mln

VILNIUS - The Armed Forces of Lithuania and Latvia have jointly purchased gasmasks and filters for gasmasks, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said on Thursday. 

The Lithuanian Defense Materiel Agency has signed two procurement contracts worth a total of 3 million euros, of which 1.8 million euros will be provided by Latvia, it said in a press release.  

Under one of the contracts, signed in December, up to 9,000 gasmasks for Lithuania and up to 14,000 gasmasks for Latvia are to be supplied by Scott Health & Safety Ltd between March and April 2020. 

The other contract was signed with Scott Health & Safety Ltd in September for the supply of 15,000 filters for gasmasks to Lithuania and up to 14,000 filters for Latvia. The UK manufacturer has already delivered the items. 

"This procurement is an excellent example of neighboring countries coordinating common needs and completing joint acquisitions," Sigitas Dzekunskas, the Defense Materiel Agency's director, said in the press release.   

"That allows us to be sure that equipment used by the allies is compatible. Moreover, a larger scope of procurement ensures that manufacturers are interested to bid and offer the best price," he said.

"The gasmasks are acquired in order to protect military personnel, they will be given out to troops deployed to international operations and missions, as well as to soldiers taking part in joint actions with NATO allies and partners, and units of the Lithuanian Armed Forces ensuring security internally," according to the ministry.

Three companies bid for the gasmasks contract and seven offered to supply filters, it said.