International cooperation

The spectrum of international cooperation of the Land Forces ranges from participation in various bilateral and multinational projects of different length and level to international operations, international training, seminars and conferences.
Lithuania currently conducts capabilities planning, and Land Forces maintain the capabilities for national demand and, in accordance with NATO commitments, capabilities for NATO and EU high readiness forces.
There are several projects in which Lithuanian Land Forces and Land Forces units participate together with foreign partners: NATO Response Force and European Union Battle Group. See more in section "Forces on duty".

                                    Lithuanian troops in Baltic battalion

                                      Pictures by A.Pliadis and N.Vitas

LITBRIG (Lithuanian Brigade) project and Motorized Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf affiliation with Danish Division. In 2004 Denmark initiated bilateral LITBRIG project between Denmark and Lithuania. The main purpose of this project was until the end of 2014 to prepare MIB Iron Wolf staff and the entire brigade to fully participate in NATO military activities and operations, to ensure systematic and purposeful activity and responsibility of all units that participate in this project. On August 31 2006, the memorandum of MIB Iron Wolf affiliation with Danish division was signed in Denmark. According to this memorandum joint military exercise will be conducted and Lithuanian officers will be provided an opportunity to serve at Danish division headquarters.

Other projects. It will be observed already accomplished international projects: LITART (Danish military assistance to establish Genaral Romualdas Giedraitis artillery battalion), LITBAT (Danish military assistance to prepare the Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas mechanized infantry battalion according to the NATO requirements), LITPOLBAT (a joint Lithuanian - Polish battalion established to conduct international operations), BALTBAT (a joint Lithuanian, Estonian and Latvian battalion established to conduct international operations), Swedish military assistance to Lithuanian Land Forces project (in 2001 - 2004 Sweden transferred to Lithuania armament and technical equipment of two infantry battalions, engineer, staff and support companies and instructed to use the equipment).

Multinational and bilateral cooperation. Lithuanian Land Forces cooperate not only with NATO states (Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, the USA, Poland, Norway and the UK) but also with other countries. Events are held according to bilateral and multinational cooperation plans that are annually prepared and coordinated beforehand. In 2009 Land Forces units and troops participated in 44 joint events with foreign partners. It is necessary to mention a close cooperation between the Baltic State Land Forces. The cooperation is conducted for military units and troops participating in trilateral projects such as BALTBAT (1994 - 2003), Baltic Battalion, joint events coherent with LITBRIG, ESTBRIG, LATBRIG projects, international exercise AMBER HOPE (2003, 2005, 2007) and in trilateral and bilateral events. The main direction for the future is the Baltic States Land Forces participation in the USA army held international exercise in the Baltic state "Saber Strike" and in joint LITBRIG, ESTBRIG and LATBRIG projects.  

Motorized Infantry Brigade "Iron Wolf ". From the very beginning of the foundation MIB "Iron Wolf" cooperates with the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Denmark. Danish Armed Forces assisted in preparing units from platoon to company level (LITPLA, LITCOY, LITCON) for participation in peace support operations in Croatia, Bosnia and later in Iraq.

                                 Lithuanian troops in Iraq

MIB "Iron Wolf" and its units closely cooperate with the USA, the UK, Sweden, Finland and other states military structures not only in preparing reconnaissance, logistic, communications and air defence specialists but also in participating in joint multinational exercise.

National Defence Volunteer Forces cooperation. Latvian, Estonian, Danish, Norway, the UK, and the USA National Defence Volunteer Forces' structures cooperate not only during military exercise but in exchanging experience, conducting agitation activities, organizing courses, charity projects as well.