According to the press release of the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence, the Lithuanian Army has received the first batch of the ZM Mesko Grom anti aircraft systems. Programme which aims at equipping the Lithuanian Armed Forces with such systems is to be completed by 2021.

Contract related to acquisition of the Grom Missiles has been signed by Lithuania during this year’s International Kielce Defence Fair. Total value of the deal is as much as EUR 34 million. The first instalment – more than EUR 4 million – is reportedly to be paid by the end of this year. Acquisition of the Grom missiles has been made possible by the fact that the Lithuanians have decided to allocate additional assets for the defence purposes – in an amount of LTL 130 million (ca. USD 46 million). All that hapenned this year due to the Ukrainian crisis.

Ministry of Defence stresses the fact that introducing the Grom missiles into the Lithuanian inventory is to expand the Lithuanian Army’s defensive capabilities within the scope of acting against attacks and reconnaissance carried out by enemy aircraft flying at low levels – both in case of manned aircraft, as well as UAV’s. Grom MANPADS will be used together with the US made Stinger missiles, as well as the Swedish RBS-70.