Minister says delays will not derail division’s 2030 readiness
Thursday 10th September 2026 on 11:30 in
Lithuania
Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas says some infrastructure and equipment for Lithuania’s national division may be delayed, but there is no identified serious threat to the force reaching full operational capability by 2030, LRT reported.
“At the moment, no such threat has been identified,” Kaunas told BNS on Thursday. He said the division’s development involved not only construction and procurement, but also staffing, and that all projects were currently under way.
Kaunas was responding to opposition Conservative leader Laurynas Kasčiūnas, who said the division might not reach full operational capability by 2030 because of the pace of procurement and weapons delivery schedules.
The minister compared the division’s development with the deployment of a German brigade in Lithuania, saying some “non-essential infrastructure” for that project would only be available after 2027. He said temporary solutions, including rented containers for accommodation, could also be used if necessary.
Asked whether the defence industry had signalled possible delays in delivering equipment, Kaunas highlighted Lithuania’s successful negotiations over the delivery of CV90 infantry fighting vehicles by 2030. However, he did not guarantee that all the vehicles would reach the division on time.
Kaunas said vehicles delivered after 2030 would not significantly affect Lithuania’s operational commitments. He added that the defence industry would not be able to supply all countries with the equipment they wanted by 2030, while Lithuania had addressed its own requirements through negotiations.
Lithuania’s First Division was established last year and is intended to be fully developed by 2030. It is expected to include about 20,000 troops, three Land Forces brigades, the Iron Wolf, Žemaitija and Aukštaitija, as well as artillery and engineering regiments and a reconnaissance battalion.
The government of Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius has pledged to ensure that the national division reaches full operational capability by 2030.