Lithuania to deploy airspace protection technology no later than early next year
Wednesday 22nd April 2026 on 07:15 in
Lithuania
Lithuania’s airspace protection systems will be operational no later than early 2027, with testing expected to begin within the next 10 months, Economy and Innovation Minister Edvinas Grikšas told the Baltic News Service (BNS) on Tuesday.
Development is proceeding in two stages, with three selected companies tasked with creating technological prototypes within four months. A second six-month phase will focus on finalising a working model for trials. “These are the maximum deadlines—roughly 10 months in total,” Grikšas said, adding that he hopes the process will accelerate.
The ministry’s role, he explained, is to support the creation of a functional prototype, after which procurement will be handled by the State Border Guard Service, the Interior Ministry, or the Defence Ministry. “Our goal is to develop a solution effective against both drones and balloons, marking the first step toward an advanced air defence system for Lithuania—one that could eventually be commercialised,” the minister stated.
Grikšas acknowledged delays in the project, attributing them to the complexity of the technology. He noted that even South Korea, which faced similar threats from North Korean balloons, has yet to develop a fully operational system. “We consulted with South Korean colleagues, as well as leading aerospace firms in Germany, Israel, and the US. Even major system integrators with billion-dollar contracts estimated they could only deliver a solution by 2027,” he said.
The minister emphasised that while speed is important, adaptability and market potential are equally critical. A second call for proposals, backed by an additional €3 million in funding, will be issued in April. The aim is to select a company capable of producing equipment to detect and neutralise drones and balloons entering Lithuanian airspace.
Interior Minister Vladislavas Kondratovičius previously stated that all units guarding critical infrastructure and state borders should be equipped with the new technology.
In October 2023, the Economy and Innovation Ministry launched a €1 million call for private-sector ideas to counter contraband balloons. Three companies—IT Logika, Teltonika, and Dangaus Šviesa—were awarded funding to develop prototypes.