"Defence cooperation between the United Kingdom and Lithuania intensified over the last year and I want to emphasise that the UK was, is, and will remain an important Lithuania's partner in European security and defence," Minister of National Defence E.Karoblis said at a meeting with Chief of the Defence Staff of the United Kingdom Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart William Peach in the evening of June 14 in Vilnius.
Today, June 15, the Chief of the Defence Staff of the United Kingdom conducting his first working visit in Lithuania met with Chief of Defence Lieutenant General Jonas Vytautas Žukas.
In both meetings the guest underscored that the United Kingdom's commitment to NATO Allies in terms of collective defence was staunch, and that it was particularly true in the Baltic region. According to the Chief of the Defence Staff, "the UK will undoubtedly remain am important player in European defence and security. We are not sailing away." Air Chief Marshal also pointed out unquestionable further participation of his country in ensuring European security and defence, cooperation with allies, including Lithuania, in the fight against terrorism, the need to strengthen NATO and European relations with the U.S. Sir S. W. Peach also underscored the topic of the Middle East and the need to coordinate actions in the area of intelligence, share information and experience.
Lithuanian Chief of Defence thanked his British counterpart for the significant contribution in strengthening the Baltic security through a variety of measures. Lithuanian Chief of Defence also expressed his appreciation of the UK's decision to have a separate Defence Attaché in Lithuania and a hope that the defence cooperation would become even closer.
The Lithuanian and the British Chiefs of Defence also discussed security situation in the Baltic region, implementation of the NATO deterrence measures, NATO command structure reform, defence plans, fight against terrorism and various defence cooperation projects.
After the meeting of the Chiefs of Defence, representatives of the Joint Staff of the Lithuanian Armed Forces outlined for Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart W. Peach capabilities and development directors f the Lithuanian Armed Forces, readiness for national and collective defence, while representatives of the Strategic Communication Department presented an information threat analysis.
Defence cooperation between Lithuania and the United Kingdom
Defence cooperation of Lithuania and the United Kingdom was launched in October 1994 with both countries' defence ministries signing a Memorandum of Understanding. The UK made significant contributions to the development of military training and education system, also to training and education of military and civilian personnel. The UK was Lithuania's key partner in planning and implementing defence command reform, consulting in resources and procurement management, defence planning, management and budget formation, reserve force reform.
In 2003-2007 Lithuanian soldiers (LITCONs 1-9) served in Shaibah sector in Iraq the UK was responsible for (in composition of the Danish Battalion). Until August 2008 one Lithuanian officer served in the UK-led Multinational Division HQ in Baghdad. In 2004-2005 five Lithuanian military medics were deployed with UK-led Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan (Mazar-i-Sharif). Since 2014 the UK has been posting an expert to the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence in Vilnius and since t- to the NATO Force Integration Unit in Vilnius. Since August 2014 two Lithuanian soldiers have been serving with the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) HQ in the UK, since March 2016 - one officer with the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) operational headquarters in Northwood.
The UK has deployed rotations of the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states conducted from Šiauliai in 2004 and 2014, in 2016 - of its augmentation based in Amari. In the first semester of 2016 Lithuanian troops were on standby for the UK-led European Union Battle Group. This year Lithuanian company is on standby for the UK-led Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF).
Together with the U.S. and Germany the UK takes part in the Transatlantic Capability Enhancement and Training (TACET) Initiative to contribute to Baltic and Polish capability development through military training. Currently the United Kingdom support Lithuania's effort to increase the Air Force Base protection competence.
Lithuanian and British strategic communication experts have been developing close cooperation since last year.
Lithuania bought 45 units of Land Rover Defender 110XD special purpose all-terrain vehicles from Ricardo UK in 2005, two Hunt class mine countermeasures vessels from the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom in 2013.
Photo credits: A.Pliadis
Spokesperson for the Chief of Defence Major Mindaugas Neimontas
Tel. (00370 5) 278 5091, mob. 00370 682 25359, mindaugas.neimontas@mil.lt
