On Thursday, the “Immediate Response 2024” exercise will take place at the Kairai training ground. This exercise is part of NATO’s Steadfast Defender 24 exercise.
Minister of National Defense Laurynas Kasčiūnas indicated that although the exercises themselves had been planned for some time, the decision on the use of HIMARS systems in the US command post in Europe was made quite recently – this, according to him, is an innovation and an additional factor to the already planned exercises, which sends a clear message to the enemy.
“Several HIMARS missiles will be fired from the Kairai range, ten kilometers to the sea, to our maritime range. This is a first-in-history process, an important deterrent that demonstrates both our and the Alliance’s combat power.
This is a factor that also testifies to a certain positive change, realizing that doing nothing is not de-escalation, and that only the East can understand it as an opportunity to act.
Therefore, the use of such salvo fire systems, which can hit the enemy very deeply, testifies to a certain adaptation to the situation, showing that we will be more active in the field of military deterrence”, said L. Kasciūnas.
The minister reminded that Lithuania is buying eight HIMARS launchers with ammunition.
“The first elements of the HIMARS system will arrive in Lithuania in the fourth quarter of 2025, the contract itself is concluded in 2022.
This is an important strategic weapon, and this exercise, where our artillery unit will also participate, will be a great training for our soldiers as well, understanding how the system works, what it is useful for. This will be the first step in assimilating it in Lithuania when it arrives,” he said.
L. Kasčiūnas is convinced that the activity of military exercises currently observed in Lithuania creates a deterrent effect for the enemies “not to think about bringing their dirty shoe into the territory of our state”.
For Lithuanian representatives in 2022 after the signing of the contract for the purchase of HIMARS reactive salvo fire systems, preparations for the integration of the systems into the structure of the Lithuanian Armed Forces began.
According to the HIMARS acquisition contract, 8 launchers with ammunition will be purchased for the Lithuanian army, which will consist of sets of guided missiles of different types and combat characteristics, including ATACMS systems with an effective range of 300 km.
This system will be integrated in coordination with allies, especially with neighboring countries – Estonia, Latvia, and Poland. The first deliveries of HIMARS are scheduled for 2025.
