Vice Minister of National Defence Bronius Bieliauskas met with Permanent State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Defence Nils Hilmer during the visit in Berlin. They focused extensively on the progress of stationing the German Brigade in Lithuania, development of military and civilian infrastructure, and readiness to sustain the permanent stationing of the Brigade in Lithuania. The Brigade is planned to be manned fully to complete the stationing by the end of 2027.
“We are preparing to host the German Brigade at Full Operational Capability as we are developing the required infrastructure and learn from the Allies’ experience. Our objective is to offer the conditions for training, building readiness for designated tasks and acting alongside the Allies, not just to provide an accommodation and service platform,” said Vice Minister B. Bieliauskas.
Another topic addressed at the meeting were the progress of the ongoing infrastructure development project, besides the visits to military training areas and the air base where NATO pilots are trained. First-hand understanding of Allied military training and infrastructure solutions allow the appreciation of their practical experience which is vital for Allied cooperation.
“What we have achieved through collaboration in the past year is incredible progress. Key Brigade stationing processes are closely coordinated, running smoothly, and, most importantly, on schedule. We see the numbers of German troops interested in service in Lithuania rising which means the Full Operational Capability of the Brigade will be reached on schedule as well. It’s a fact that our troops wish to serve in Lithuania and we feel truly welcome here. We are incredibly thankful for everything you are doing,” said N. Hilmer at the meeting.
The number of German military personnel on the ground is consistently increasing. Approx. 2 thousand civilian and military personnel are forecasted to be deployed in total by the end of the year, with this number expected to approach 5,000 by the end of 2027.
The German Brigade will be based permanently at the Rūdninkai Training Area where intense infrastructure development is currently underway to build the Rūdninkai Military Campus – the largest military site in the history of independent Lithuania. The first phase of the project will be completed shortly, while buildings, utilities and other infrastructure of Phase II are also in the works.
As preparations for stationing the Brigade in full are conducted, not just accommodation but also combat training infrastructure is developed. Advanced shooting range complexes will allow the military personnel to continuously enhance their skills and train effectively.
The stationing of the German Brigade is a strategic Lithuanian-German partnership project which was launched on December 18, 2023, with the signature of the Roadmap Action Plan in Vilnius by the Defence Ministers of both countries.
