Lithuania to replace outdated M113 armoured vehicles with Patria APCs

Lithuania plans to phase out its ageing M113 tracked armoured personnel carriers by acquiring hundreds of Finnish-made Patria wheeled armoured vehicles, the country’s chief of defence announced on Wednesday, LRT reports.

General Raimundas Vaikšnoras, commander of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, stated that the new Patria 6×6 vehicles will replace the “morally obsolete” M113s, which, while still operational, will become inefficient to maintain as Lithuania integrates the new fleet over the coming years.

“We are replacing the outdated, morally worn-out M113s, which can still move but will likely reach the end of their service life by the time we fully develop and integrate the new platforms. Continuing repairs would no longer be cost-effective,” Vaikšnoras told reporters in Kazlų Rūda.

The State Defence Council approved a plan on Wednesday to procure 300 Patria vehicles by 2030, part of a broader effort to acquire 936 units in total. Defence officials clarified that the new armoured personnel carriers will not replace Lithuania’s existing Vilkas infantry fighting vehicles or the CV90s currently on order. Instead, the Patria fleet will support infantry transport, medical, communications, and other specialised units.

Lithuania established its First Division last year and aims to fully develop the 20,000-strong formation by 2030. This year’s defence budget stands at approximately €4.8 billion, equivalent to 5.38% of GDP.