TSAMTO, December 22. The Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense announced on December 17 that in November 2021, the Defense Materiel Agency (DMA) under the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense signed a contract for the purchase of 356 vehicles from the Dutch Armed Forces.
The total cost of the sale was about 6 million euros. The delivery package includes used GD 290 SUVs, DAF trucks, trailers.
According to Deputy Minister of National Defense Vilius Semeshka, the implementation of this contract will not only expand the capabilities of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, but also increase the effectiveness of patrolling in the border zone. At the same time, the equipment will be obtained at a minimum cost.
Under the agreement, the Armed Forces of the Netherlands are to deliver 125 Mercedes-Benz GD 290 SUVs to Lithuania by the end of 2021. Most of the equipment will be transferred to the units of the volunteer security forces of the region for patrolling and protecting the state border. It was assumed that they would be sent for use in the border zone with Belarus as early as December 20.
The remaining part of the purchase package, 165 units of GD 290, 25 DAF trucks of various modifications and other equipment, will be delivered to the Lithuanian Armed Forces in two batches in spring and autumn 2022.
As stated, although the vehicles were previously operated in the Armed Forces of the Netherlands, they are in good technical condition. The Lithuanian Armed Forces already have about 400 units of this equipment, also purchased in the Netherlands. These machines have already been tested during exercises on the territory of the country.
Earlier, the Dutch Armed Forces sold about 400 ATVs and 200 DAF trucks to the Lithuanian Armed Forces.