On June 15 Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas and Minister of Defence of Finland Annti Kaikkonen met in Brussels to sign a Letter of Intent to continue the negations on acquisition of two Jehu-class landing craft from Finland for the Lithuanian Navy.
The fast patrol boats are aimed to defend the Curonian Lagoon, port and littoral areas and to replace one of the Navy vessels that currently guards the port but is technically and morally obsolete.
“Finland understand the necessity of such craft to Lithuania, so the negotiations are going really fast. We are planning the sale-purchase contract to be concluded still this month. The patrol boats would complement the efforts to enhance an all-round defence, fill in the gap of Lithuanian Navy capabilities in the Curonian Lagoon and would build up Lithuania’s coastal surveillance,” says A. Anušauskas.
