Lithuania receives 19 bids to build airspace monitoring system

Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defence has received 19 applications to develop an integrated airspace monitoring and control system, LRT reported. The project is expected to cost about €5 million.

The system is intended to improve the detection, tracking and management of risks posed by drones and other airborne threats. It will use artificial intelligence to combine data from sensors, radars and other infrastructure operated by the Lithuanian Armed Forces and other institutions, with information automatically shared in real time.

Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said the system would strengthen public institutions’ early warning and response capabilities and help alert the public to air threats. The competition has attracted individual companies as well as consortia bringing together Lithuanian and foreign partners.

The ministry is assessing whether applicants meet the qualification requirements. Those that do will be invited to submit initial proposals and given at least 10 working days to prepare them. The ministry will then hold negotiations before participants submit final proposals. The winning bidder will also be checked for compliance with national security interests.

Next year, the system is expected to bring together all sensors and air defence measures connected to it to create a common picture of the air situation. From 2028, it is planned to connect the system with both the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ airspace monitoring and control system and data transmission platforms used by allies.