First Lithuanian drones to be delivered to Ukraine in Sept – defense ministry

That is according to LRT, which cites the Lithuanian Defense Ministry, Ukrinform reports.

"It is planned that the first FPV drones to be purchased (from Lithuanian manufacturers) could be handed over to Ukraine as early as the second half of September," the ministry said.

Last week, the ministry said that combat drones made by five Lithuanian manufacturers had passed the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's tests in a frontline environment and would be sent to Ukraine.

This was the second attempt as the Lithuanian-made drones had failed the first test. According to the ministry, FPV drones from eight Lithuanian companies were tested in Ukraine in two stages, and technical challenges arose during the initial stage of flights in an operational environment.

Defense Minister Laurynas Kasciunas said that Lithuania is considering purchasing UAVs from the manufacturers that passed the tests.

"In the future, the practice of testing drones in Ukraine before purchase is planned to continue," the ministry said.

The current plan is to supply EUR 5 million worth of Lithuanian-made drones to Ukraine and allocate drones worth up to EUR 3 million for the needs of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. The remaining funds under the 10-million-euro program will be used to purchase reconnaissance drones for Ukraine.

In early July, Lithuania signed contracts, worth EUR 36 million in total, to acquire various types of drones from Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian manufacturers. The Lithuanian Defense Ministry expects most of the drones to be delivered this fall, with the remainder to arrive in early 2025.

The Lithuanian Defense Ministry expects most of the drones to be delivered this fall, with the remainder to arrive in early 2025.

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