Lithuania Military - 2022

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Military and security forces

Lithuanian Armed Forces (Lietuvos Ginkluotosios Pajegos): Land Forces (Sausumos Pajegos), Naval Forces (Karines Juru Pajegos), Air Forces (Karines Oro Pajegos), Special Operations Forces (Specialiuju Operaciju Pajegos); National Defense Volunteer Forces (Savanoriu Pajegos); National Riflemen's Union (2022)

note: the National Rifleman's Union is a paramilitary force that acts as an additional reserve force

Military expenditures

2.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

2% of GDP (2021 est.)

2.1% of GDP (2020)

2% of GDP (2019) (approximately $1.7 billion)

2% of GDP (2018) (approximately $1.59 billion)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 17,000 active duty personnel (13,500 Army, including about 5,000 National Defense Voluntary Forces; 500 Navy; 1,000 Air Force; 2,000 other, including special operations forces, logistics support, training, etc); estimated 11,000 Riflemen Union (2022)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Lithuanian Armed Forces' inventory is mostly a mix of Western weapons systems and Soviet-era equipment (primarily aircraft and helicopters); as of 2021, Germany was the leading supplier of armaments to Lithuania (2021)

Military service age and obligation

19-26 years of age for conscripted military service for men; 9-month service obligation; in 2015, Lithuania reinstated conscription after having converted to a professional military in 2008; 18-38 for voluntary service for men and women (2022)

note 1: Lithuania conscripts up to 4,000 males each year; conscripts are selected using an automated lottery system

note 2: as of 2019, women comprised about 12% of the military's full-time personnel

Military deployments

note: contributes about 350-550 troops to the Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine joint military brigade (LITPOLUKRBRIG), which was established in 2014; the brigade is headquartered in Poland and is comprised of an international staff, three battalions, and specialized units; units affiliated with the multinational brigade remain within the structures of the armed forces of their respective countries until the brigade is activated for participation in an international operation

Military - note

Lithuania became a member of NATO in 2004

since 2017, Lithuania has hosted a German-led multi-national NATO ground force battlegroup as part of the Alliance’s Enhanced Forward Presence initiative; NATO also has provided air protection for Lithuania since 2004 through its Air Policing mission; NATO member countries that possess air combat capabilities voluntarily contribute to the mission on 4-month rotations; NATO fighter aircraft are hosted at Lithuania’s Šiauliai Air Base (2022)

NOTE: The information regarding Lithuania on this page is re-published from the 2022 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Lithuania 2022 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Lithuania 2022 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.