Lithuania Military - 2023

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 (Krašto Apsaugos Savanorių Pajegos or KASP); National Riflemen's Union (Lietuvos šaulių sąjunga) (2023)

note 1: the National Rifleman's Union is a civilian paramilitary organization supported by the Lithuanian Government that cooperates with the military but is not part of it; however, in a state of war, its armed formations would fall under the armed forces

note 2: the Lithuanian Police and State Border Guard Service are under the Ministry of Interior; in wartime, the State Border Guard Service becomes part of the armed forces

Military expenditures

2.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

2.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

2% of GDP (2021)

2.1% of GDP (2020)

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

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 16,000 personnel (12,500 Army, including about 5,000 National Defense Voluntary Forces and 2,500 conscripts); 500 Navy; 1,000 Air Force; 2,000 other, including special operations forces, logistics support, training, etc) (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory is a mix of Soviet-era and more modern European and US equipment; Germany and the US have been the leading suppliers in recent years (2023)

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 (2023)

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 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Lithuania 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Lithuania 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.