The Lithuanian Armed Forces have taken delivery of additional missile systems and ammunition as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen national defence readiness. The procurement, valued at more than EUR5.7 million, includes AIM-120B AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, SPIKE LR2 anti-tank guided missiles, and 5.56×45 mm NATO ball ammunition. The materiel has been transferred to military storage facilities for subsequent operational allocation. The acquisition is intended to enhance both Lithuania’s ground-based anti-armour capabilities and broader air defence posture, reflecting continued investment in layered defence systems amid evolving regional security requirements.
The SPIKE LR2, developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, is a fifth-generation electro-optical (EO) precision-guided missile designed for multi-role engagement across a range of platforms. The system is capable of engaging tanks, armoured vehicles, fortified positions, and other high-value targets. It has a maximum effective range of up to 5.5 km and supports multiple engagement modes, including fire-and-forget, fire-and-observe, and fire-to-coordinates. Equipped with a tandem high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead, the SPIKE LR2 is designed to defeat modern armoured threats, including those fitted with advanced protection systems. The missile also supports engagements in complex environments, including urban terrain, where it can be used against structural targets.
Within Lithuanian service, the SPIKE LR2 is integrated onto the Vilkas infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), the national designation for the Boxer IFV platform. The Vilkas fleet is based on the Boxer 8×8 armoured vehicle developed under the OCCAR framework, with Lithuania fielding 89 production vehicles alongside additional prototype variants. Each Vilkas IFV is fitted with an Israeli-produced remote weapon station, a US-manufactured 30 mm Mk44S automatic cannon, and integrated SPIKE long-range anti-tank missile launchers. According to Lithuanian authorities, the country is the first Boxer operator to field the 30 mm cannon configuration, providing enhanced firepower compared with standard variants.
The integration of SPIKE LR2 missiles onto the Vilkas platform is expected to significantly extend engagement ranges and improve lethality in ground combat operations, supporting Lithuania’s mechanised infantry units in both conventional and asymmetric scenarios. On 24 February 2024, the Vilkas completed a Live Firing Test that effectively marked the close of the nation’s first phase of Boxers, albeit the 27 additional units are part of this batch. Two batalions in the ‘Iron Wolf’ mechanised infantry brigade operate the armoured vehicle. Iron Wolf is a core part of the Lithuanian Army, and it forms part of Nato’s collective defence on the alliance’s Eastern Flank against an increasingly belligerent neighbour, Russia, whose two-and-a-half year invasion of Ukraine still hangs in the balance.
