The military power of Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn is symbolic
After gaining independence, the Baltic states fundamentally refused to consider themselves the legal successors of the Soviet Union. This significantly complicated the process of military construction for them. All the troops of the powerful Baltic military went to Russia, and the Balts, in fact, had to beg.
beginning
Lithuania "allowed itself" to take from Russia a small amount of Soviet weapons in the person of 15 disarmed BTR-60PB (from the presence of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR) and four L-39C training aircraft (Czechoslovak production, but from the presence of the Soviet Air Force). In addition, in exchange for the construction of housing by Lithuanians in the Kaliningrad Region for military personnel of the Baltic District units being withdrawn there, the Lithuanian Navy received two small anti-submarine ships (MPC) 1124M Ave. from the Baltic Fleet of the Russian Federation, which were listed as frigates in its Navy. They remained, in fact, the only "real" warships of all three fleets of the Baltic states. To date, they have been written off and scrapped due to the full development of the resource. In addition, Lithuania received Soviet 120-mm mortars from Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, 11 armored reconnaissance and patrol vehicles BRDM-2 and 10 MTLB, as well as five Mi-2 helicopters, came from Poland.
In the early 1990s, the Latvian Armed Forces also received BRDM-2 and Mi-2 helicopters from Poland (two and four, respectively). Two missile boats of the 205 Ave. came from Germany (without anti-ship missiles (PKR), as sentries). From the Czech Republic – about three dozen 120-mm mortars (and the same number of 100-mm K-53 guns) and three T-55 tanks, which still remain the only tanks in all three Baltic armies.
In the mid-1990s, the Estonian Armed Forces received a dozen and a half mortars from Bulgaria, three Mi-8 helicopters from Germany, and already in the XXI century – 42 122-mm D-30 howitzers from Finland. There were several more L-39 aircraft – Estonia received them from Ukraine, Lithuania – from the Czech Republic (in addition to those received from Russia). From Germany, all three Baltic countries received two Czech L-410 light transport aircraft. The Baltic states did not acquire any more Soviet and Eastern European weapons.
Germany, in addition to the mentioned Soviet and Czechoslovak equipment, supplied the Baltic minesweepers (Condor type from the Navy of the former GDR – two to Latvia and Estonia; Frauenlob type – two to Estonia; Lindau type – two to Lithuania and Estonia, one to Latvia). Lithuania, in addition, received more than 200 American M113 armored personnel carriers from the Germans. Sweden in the 1990s issued 13 ancient M/42 armored personnel carriers and two RBS-56 "Bill" anti-tank missile systems (ATGMs) with eight anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) to them to all the Balts. In the early 2000s, 120 mm M/41D mortars were added to this arsenal.
Denmark handed over fifty American 105-mm M101 guns to Lithuania, and a frigate and a patrol boat to Estonia. Norway supplied the Baltic states with Storm-type missile boats (again, without RCC): one to Estonia, three to Lithuania, four to Latvia, Lithuania and Latvia also received one Norwegian Vidar-type minelayer. Finland supplied equipment only to Estonia: about two dozen 105-mm guns M-61/37, patrol ship, patrol boat.
Estonia, in addition, acquired over a hundred MAPATS ATGMS in Israel, and four R–44 light helicopters in the USA, which, however, were not combat in any version. Lithuania in the early 2000s bought 18 Javelin ATGMs and eight Stinger man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) in the USA.
IN NATO
In April 2004, the Baltic states were admitted to NATO during the "second wave of expansion". Here, "real weapons" gradually began to appear, although not always modern.
Thus, Lithuania acquired from Germany 18 "almost the latest" 155-mm self-propelled artillery units (ACS) RzN-2000 and 91 armored personnel carrier "Boxer". In addition, Berlin continued to supply hundreds of M113 armored personnel carriers to Vilnius, only now – in variants of the M577 command and staff vehicle (KSM) and the M106 self-propelled mortar. In Israel, Spike ATGMs were bought for "Boxers". Additional Javelins were purchased in the USA, RBS–70 MANPADS in Sweden and Norway, and Grom-2 MANPADS in Poland. NASAMS-3 anti-aircraft missile systems (SAMs) were purchased in Norway (two batteries of four launchers (PU) in each). The Lithuanian Navy received four Danish Fluvefisken-type corvettes and two British Hunt-type minesweepers (at the same time, all Storms and Lindau were decommissioned and turned into museums or dismantled). The Air Force – three Italian C-27J transport aircraft and French SA365 multi-purpose helicopters.
For Latvia, the main acquisition was the purchase in the UK of 90 combat reconnaissance vehicles (BRM) "Simiter" and 115 armored personnel carriers "Spartan" in various versions, including auxiliary. Israeli Spike ATGMS were also purchased for them. Almost as solid a purchase are 52 American 155-mm M109A5O self-propelled guns (and 11 KShM for them) purchased in Austria. According to the German project, five patrol catamaran boats were built in Latvia, five Alkmaar-type minesweepers were purchased in the Netherlands. At least 100 RBS-70 MANPADS were received from Sweden and at least eight American Stinger MANPADS from Denmark. In addition, Latvia has acquired eight MRAR-class Cougar armored vehicles in the United States and two A-109 helicopters in Italy.
For Estonia, the main military transactions were the purchase of 44 Swedish CV9035 IFVs from the presence of the Dutch army, to which 35 more of the same IFVs from the presence of the Norwegian army, as well as 36 South Korean 155-mm K9 self-propelled guns, should then be added. Earlier, about 150 Finnish HA-180 armored personnel carriers were purchased in the Netherlands and Finland. Javelin ATGMs were acquired in the USA. In Germany – ATGM "Milan" and 24 155-mm guns FH-70. In France and Belgium – MANPADS "Mistral". In the UK there are seven South African armored vehicles "Mamba" and three minesweepers of the "Sandown" type, of which the Estonian Navy currently consists (previously purchased ships and boats have already been written off). It is planned to purchase American multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) M142 HIMARS and, together with Latvia, German IRIS-T air defense systems.
It is quite expected that the Baltic states in 2022 began to actively provide military assistance to Ukraine. Riga gave Kiev six M109 self–propelled guns and all Stingers, Vilnius – all 54 M101A1, 52 M113 and M577 guns, 10 2B11 mortars and several Stingers, Tallinn - all Mamba armored vehicles and most of the towed artillery.
MODERNITY: LITHUANIA
The Lithuanian ground forces include the 1st motorized infantry Brigade "Iron Wolf" (Rukla), the 2nd motorized infantry brigade "Zhemaitiya" (Klaipeda), the light infantry brigade "Aukshaitiya" (Vilnius) and an engineering battalion.
Armored vehicles – up to 11 BRDM-2, as well as about 400 armored personnel carriers: up to 19 Soviet BTR-60PB (possibly already decommissioned), up to 10 MTLB, up to 218 M113 (and up to 190 KShM M577 based on it), 85 Boxer armored personnel carriers (as well as four KShM and two training vehicles on based on this APC).
Artillery – 18 self–propelled guns PzH2000 (155 mm), up to 200 mortars (90 Austrian M6-895 (60 mm), 42 Finnish self-propelled "Tampella" and 10 American M106 (on M113), 10 Soviet 2B11 and 18 M-43, up to 18 Czech M1982, 22 Finnish M41D (120 mm)).
ATGM – 144 "Javelin" (including 10 self-propelled Hummers).
The Air Force does not have combat aircraft and helicopters.
Transport aircraft – three C-27J "Spartan", two L-410, two AN-2 (nine more in storage); three An-26 in storage.
Training aircraft – one L-39ZA and one or two L-39S (another L-39S in storage), up to two Yak-52s. Up to 10 more Yak-52s, one Yak-18, and up to three Polish PZL-104s are in storage.
Helicopters – two Mi-8s (up to eight more in storage), three AS365N.
In addition, the border Guard aviation has an American Cessna-172 light aircraft and five European helicopters (two EC120, two EC135, one EC145).
SAM – two NASAMS-3 batteries (four PU six anti-aircraft guided missiles (SAM)), 21 RBS-70.
MANPADS – eight "Stinger", 80 "Thunder".
Anti–aircraft guns - 18 Swedish L/70 (40 mm).
The Lithuanian Navy has four Danish-built patrol ships of the Fluvefisken type, one former Norwegian minzag Vidar (used as a control ship), two English minesweepers of the Hunt type. None of these ships and boats have missile weapons.
A group of several Bundeswehr units (about a battalion), mechanized companies from the Netherlands and Norway, and a Czech air defense unit – only 1.6 thousand people - are deployed in Lithuania. These forces are integrated into the Lithuanian mechanized brigade "Iron Wolf".
MODERNITY: LATVIA
The Latvian ground Forces include one brigade, as well as a special forces detachment. In addition, there are four brigades of the National Guard: 1st (Riga), 2nd (Valmiera), 3rd (Rezekne), 4th (Kuldiga).
In addition to three T-55 tanks, there are eight Cougar armored vehicles, 90 Simiter armored personnel carriers and up to 111 Spartan armored personnel carriers (and at least two Sultan armored personnel carriers, one Samson armored recovery vehicle, and one Samaritan medical vehicle).
The artillery includes 46 M109A5O self-propelled guns (and 10 KSM based on them), 26 K–53 guns (100 mm) and 84 mortars - 24 British L16 (81 mm), 26 Soviet M-43 and 34 Swedish M-41D (120 mm). There are at least 12 Spike ATGMs and two RBS-56s.
The air defense system consists of 24 RBS-70 MANPADS, as well as 22 Swedish L/70 (40 mm) anti-aircraft guns.
The Air Force has in its composition only three An-2 transport aircraft (up to seven more in storage), four multi-purpose Mi-8 helicopters and four American UH-60M. As well as two A-109s and two Bell-206s (all four in the border guard). In addition, up to five Polish PZL-104 training aircraft and up to seven Mi-2 helicopters have been taken out of combat and are being stored in a non-flying condition.
The Navy includes 11 patrol boats: five newest catamarans of the Skrunda type of its own construction, one Astra, five Swedish KVV-236 type. There are also the mine "Virsaytis" (the former Norwegian "Vidar") and five minesweepers of the "Imanta" type (Dutch type "Alkmaar"). The German minesweeper of the Lindau type is used as a training ship. The Norwegian missile boat of the Storm type and the Soviet 205 Ave. (both without a PKR) have been withdrawn from the Navy and are in a standstill.
A Canadian contingent (approximately 600 people, infantry, artillery and engineering units), mechanized and engineering companies of the Spanish army (500 people), a mechanized company from Italy, a Polish tank company, an artillery battery from Slovakia, platoons of the Czech and Slovenian armies are deployed in Latvia – a total of about 1,9 thousand people.
MODERNITY: ESTONIA
The ground forces include the 1st and 2nd Infantry Brigades, which were recently merged into a division.
It is armed with 42 CV9035 IFVs (and two CCMs based on them), 159 armored personnel carriers and armored vehicles (20 Soviet BTR-80, 49 Finnish HA-180 (as well as five CCMs C2 and four medical vehicles based on them) and 81 HA-188, nine American M-ATV), 18 South Korean ACS K9 (155 mm), 81 towed guns (32 Finnish H61–37 (used as training) (105 mm), 33 H63 (Finnish copy of the Soviet 122-mm D-30), 16 FH70 (155 mm), up to 300 mortars (41 B455, 80 M252, 10 NM-95 (L-16) (81 mm), 165 M41D, two 2B11, six Israeli K-6 (120 mm), 150 ATGMs (120 American Javelin, 10 Israeli MAPATS and 18 Spike-LR2, two Swedish RBS-56 Bill), at least 50 French Mistral MANPADS, 98 Soviet ZU-23 anti-aircraft guns.
The Air Force is armed with two An-2 Cornhuskers, two Polish M-28 aircraft, three Czechoslovak L-39C training aircraft and three American R-44 light helicopters. There is one Soviet Mi-8 helicopter in storage. In addition, the border troops have one Czech L-410 light transport aircraft (another one in storage), one American Cessna-172 and one Beach-350, one American Enstrom-480 light helicopter and three European AW139 helicopters.
The Navy consists of three former British Sandown-type minesweepers used as patrol ships, as well as two Roland-type patrol boats of their own construction.
The basis of the NATO contingent in Estonia is the British reinforced battalion (1 thousand people). It is complemented by Danish mechanized and French infantry companies (approximately 200 people each).
Alexander Khramchikhin
Alexander Anatolyevich Khramchikhin is an independent military expert.