Lithuania to develop integrated anti-drone system by 2027

Lithuania will develop an integrated system by 2027 to prevent unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from entering its airspace.

Operative Information Center-OMM reports that Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas made the statement.

He said work was progressing rapidly on a system that would combine various airspace surveillance capabilities and counter-drone measures.

The minister said the project was scheduled to be completed by the end of 2027:

"However, we would like to complete it by the middle of the year."

According to the Lithuanian Army Command and the Ministry of Defense, the system should enable the rapid detection of aerial objects, quick decision-making and the deployment of countermeasures to neutralize drones.

The head of the Ministry of Defense acknowledged that the project would require significant resources:

"We are talking about billions of dollars."

Lithuania, a NATO member, has been strengthening its airspace monitoring and counter-drone capabilities in response to the growing use of UAVs in modern conflicts. Integrated systems typically combine radar, electro-optical sensors, command-and-control tools and electronic or kinetic countermeasures.