Aiming to increase the share of advanced technology in the Lithuanian defence industry, the Ministry of National Defence has approved the Defence Technology Development Lithuania Programme for 2021–2023. Funding for defence technology development projects is expected to promote the benefit of defence and the national defence system by tapping into the potential of science.
“Both, NATO and European Union agendas, and the National Security Strategy of Lithuania as well, underline the importance and relevance of innovation, scientific research, and particularly the breakthrough technologies, in defence capability development. Therefore, the launching programme will facilitate the employment of the potential in Lithuania’s science and industry for defence and thus strengthen our national defence capabilities,” says Vice Minister of National Defence Vilius Semeška.
Management of the programme has been delegated to the Agency for Science, Innovation and Technology: it will announce calls for proposals annually , while the themes will be shaped by Lithuanian Armed Forces requirements and NATO emerging technology priorities.
The Defence Technology Development Programme Lithuania 2021–2023 aims at strengthening national defence capabilities and speeding up the development of the Lithuanian defence industry. Programme funds will be used to support defence technology design and development projects developed by businesses and institutions of education and to co-finance their participation in the European Defence Fund projects.
The programme is expected to promote development of new defence sector products in Lithuania, as well as active participation of Lithuanian companies and education institutions in EDF calls for proposals.
The first calls for proposals were announced in 2021 on three subjects. The themes on the Laser-based Ship Communication System and the Radar Electromagnetic Signature Reading and Analysis System proposed by the Lithuanian Armed Forces were developed in 2019 at the Delta Navy hackathon co-organized by the Ministry of National Defence and Enterprise Lithuania.
An innovation in the endeavor is the first ever call for proposals from ideas and initiates from the Lithuanian industry and education institutions that based on the bottom-up approach: no specific deliverable is defined but rather best ideas on the market and their development in a specific field are invited. The bottom-up call for proposals this year is launched on the topic of autonomous land and air system development.
One project will be eligible for up to Eur 300 thousand support, there will be one project selected for the per subject-matter development.
The Ministry of National Defence has been collaborating with the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport and the Agency for Science, Innovation and Technology since 2015 in order to financially support scientific research. As a result and with expert assistance from the Lithuanian Armed Forces there have already been created such technologies as prototype universal sensor component and military-purpose electro-cycle , and a “stealthy” radio communication.
More information and call for proposals terms and conditions at: https://mita.lrv.lt/lt/kvietimai
Related photo, credit Arnas Glazauskas
