VILNIUS, June 11 (Xinhua) -- The Lithuanian government has approved a resolution allowing the Defense Materiel Agency to procure loitering munitions and anti-tank mines without public tenders, the Baltic News Service (BNS) reported.
The exemption, aimed at protecting national security and strengthening defense capabilities, enables direct procurement from domestic manufacturers.
Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene said talks are already underway with Lithuanian companies capable of producing the weapons. Deliveries to the armed forces are expected to begin soon.
The move supports the goal of achieving operational drone capacity by 2027 and building resilient supply chains. A similar exemption was granted last week for the procurement of UAVs, counter-drone systems, optical surveillance equipment, and laser target designators. ■
