Defence in brief: Leopard 2A8s ordered by Lithuania

Lithuania has signed a contract with Germany for 44 Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks, according to a 16th December announcement on the Lithuanian MoD’s website. The delivery date is to be brought forward with Lithuania’s recently declared increase in funding allowing the tanks to be paid for and delivered sooner. This indicates some point before 2030, which is when Lithuania’s heavy division is expected to be stood up, as reported by Calibre in October.

Lithuania’s new Minister of National Defence, Dovilė Šakalienė, signed the agreement during her first visit to Germany, which itself came not long after she increased the country’s defence budget to 4% of GDP, up from just over 3% that was anticipated in October. The increase in funding followed so closely by the trip to Germany to confirm the Leopard 2 order indicates the importance Lithuania continues to place on its national defence. 

The contract value was not stated, but the Dutch procurement of 46 2A8s had a lower limit of 1 billion Europs and an upper budget limit of 2.5 billion Euros, while the budget for Germany’s 105 Leopards is 2.93 billion, indicating a price around the 1 billion Euro mark. Hartpunkt reports that the vehicles will be purchased under the BMVg framework contract with KNDS Germany, meaning that Lithuania will benefit from some of the cost efficiencies enjoyed by the Bundeswehr in its larger procurements from KNDS. 

Calibre comment

Europe is continuing to rearm its armoured forces at some pace, this marking the third Leopard 2A8 announcement in 2024 alone. Croatia signed a letter of intent for 50 2A8s in October, not long after the Netherlands revealed that it would be buying 46 Leopard 2A8s, reconstituting a capability that it had divested just ten years before. Italy confirmed its intention to add up to 132 of the type to its armed forces in February, and Germany’s budget committee approved the option to procure 105 2A8s in July under the existing framework agreement. The Czech Republic added its hat to the mix in June, indicating intent to buy at least 61 Leopard 2A8s to add to the 2A4s it has already received. Not surprisingly, almost all of these contracts, totaling 438 Leopard 2A8s including Lithuania’s purchase, are for delivery before 2030, giving KNDS Germany just five years to meet fairly aggressive production schedules.

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published 17th December 2024.