Lithuania Ministry of Defence (MOD) announced on its website that an Infantry Division will be formed with new units and, if necessary, by integrating existing units. The announcement did not mention a specific number, timetable or budget. At the personnel level, the announcement states that personnel will increase from 20,840 to 29,380, with conscripts increasing from 4,240 to 7,040.
On January 23, the State Defence Council approved the proposal submitted by the Ministry of National Defence to supplement the law on the basic structure of the army with a new army unit - the Infantry Division and the selection of the tank platform "Leopard 2" with the necessary aggravating capacity.
The draft amendment to the law on the principle structure of the army and the limit of the number of soldiers discussed in the Council of State Defence foresees that the infantry division will be developed by establishing new or strengthening existing military units of the Lithuanian army.
During the development of the Infantry Division, a new military unit - the Artillery Regiment- was proposed.
In the law amendment project, it is also proposed to establish other new military units - the Port and Coastal Defence Service of the Naval Forces, the Cyber Defense Board, consisting of the Communications and Information Systems Battalion of the Great Hetman of Lithuania Kristupas Radvilas Perkūnas and the Information Technology Service. New units would be established based on existing units.
Another direction of the development of the Infantry Division is the acquisition of new weapons systems designed to increase the Lithuanian army's combat power and manoeuvre defence. Therefore, the next question discussed in the Council of State Defence is the choice of the most suitable platform for the aggravating tanks necessary for the Infantry Division.
The State Defence Council approved the increase in the limit of mandatory military service, the implementation of which, after the approval of the reform of conscription by the Seimas of Lithuania, should take place in stages and allow to approach the implementation of the universal conscription model. In the draft amendment to the law on the basic structure of the army and the limited number of soldiers, it is expected that the total limit number of soldiers will increase from 20,840 to 29,380, and the limited number of conscripts to the PPKT will be increased from 4,240 to 7,040.
