Lithuania is considering launching production of maritime drones following a “1+1” formula where one drone would remain in Lithuania while another would be sent to Ukraine, Lithuania’s Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė told Militarnyi.
“Magura, in my opinion, is an excellent military product,” Šakalienė said, expressing interest in Ukrainian surface attack drones, missile drones, and other weaponry.
The Magura V5, a Ukrainian multipurpose unmanned surface vessel, has proven highly effective in the Black Sea, forcing Russia’s fleet to remain in ports. The drone performs various missions including surveillance, reconnaissance, and combat operations. In a recent notable success, a Magura equipped with American AIM-9 missiles shot down a Russian Su-30 fighter jet.
The minister explained that Lithuania is exploring joint production of certain weapons using what she called the “1+1” principle.
“This means we pay for the production of two weapons units,” Šakalienė said. “One is transferred to Ukraine, and the other remains in Lithuania, but we pay for both.”
At the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting (Ramstein format) on 11 April, Lithuania pledged 30 million euros ($34 mn) for various forms of military assistance to Kyiv.
In March, the Drone Coalition, which includes Lithuania, allocated 20 million euros ($23 mn) from a joint fund to purchase tactical-level intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) drones for Ukraine’s Defense Forces.
On 14 April, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced that Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defense had directed 10 million euros ($11 mn) toward the production of modern Ukrainian long-range weapons.
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