Chief of Defence of Lithuania General Raimundas Vaikšnoras met with the most senior military leadership of the country on a work trip to the United States. He discussed the security situation in the region, progress and readiness for defence of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, and the situation of U.S. forces in Europe and Lithuania with Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Christopher W. Grady.
“The U.S. rotational force in Lithuania remains our key security guarantee. The United States has been supporting our force training, competence-building and strengthening of military cooperation at various levels since the re-establishment of independence,” Gen R. Vaikšnoras underscored summarizing the meeting.
General also met with Chief of Staff of the Army General Randy A. George and other representatives of the U.S. Armed Forces with whom Lithuania’s Host Nation Support capabilities, HIMARS integration in the Lithuanian Armed Forces, and support of the United States, the Pennsylvania National Guard, in particular, in developing the 1st Division of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
Soon, approx. 1700 U.S. military personnel will be airlifted to Lithuania from France and Italy for training in Exercise Swift Response 25, part of the currently ongoing major Allied defence training cycle in Lithuania. It will also train Lithuanian troops to operate the HIMARS systems independently while training alongside the U.S. colleagues.
Photo credits: Lithuanian Armed Forces
