Lithuanian Armed Forces Acquires Air Surveillance Radars From Israel’s ELTA

The Lithuanian Armed Forces recently signed a contract with Israeli company ELTA Systems Ltd for five gap-filler short-range air surveillance radars and logistic maintenance services.

Two of the radars are bought to compensate for the negatives impact wind farms developed in Šilutė and Tauragė districts have on the ability of the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ air surveillance radars to detect and track air targets, the armed forces said in a press release Thursday. The two radars are paid for by the Lithuanian businesses developing the wind farms in western Lithuania. 

“We are approaching the completion of the project of Lithuania’s public and private sectors launched three years ago to concert national security and business interests in renewable energy sector,” Vice Minister of National Defence Giedrimas Jeglinskas says. According to Vice Minister, the business sector contributed investments to the procurement and selection of infrastructure needed. 

Three companies applied for the tender of the Lithuanian Armed Forces for procuring short-range surveillance radars. Israel’s company ELTA Systems was selected according to the price, costs of services after the warranty period, and technical parameters. The total price of the procured radars is around EUR 2.8 million minus VAT. 

The short-range radars will be integrated into the joint Lithuanian airspace surveillance system and begin using them until the end of 2019.