Tuesday, July 2, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė and Minister of National Defence Laurynas Kasčiūnas will visit Alytus to tour the infrastructure developed at the Lithuanian Grand Duchess Birutė Uhlan Battalion: recently built infantry fighting vehicle repair facility and refurbished barracks. The tour will be followed by a presentation of the defence budget projection, modernization of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, phases of the division development, defence acquisitions, etc., at a press conference.
Media programme:
• 12:00 hrs. – Arrival of Prime Minister I. Šimonytė and Minister of National Defence L. Kasčiūnas at the refurbished barracks
• Repair facility tour
• 12:30 -13:00 hrs. – Joint press conference of Prime Minister I. Šimonytė and Minister of National Defence L. Kasčiūnas.
Media representatives are invited to register no later than Tuesday, July 2, 09:00 hrs. at: [email protected] (please indicate your full name, contact phone number, represented media outlet, car plate number).
Freelance media and foreign media need an accreditation issued by the MoD Strategic Communication and Public Relations Department of the MoD https://kam.lt/en/ministry-of-national-defence-of-the-republic-of-lithuania-accreditation-form/
Registered media representatives are invited to arrive at the Lithuanian Grand Duchess Birutė Uhlan Battalion (Ulonų g. 14, Alytus) until 11:35 hrs. It is obligatory too take off dash cameras upon entrance.
POC:
Asta Galdikaitė, MoD Strategic Communication and Public Relations Department of the MoD, cell phone no.+ 370 687 90 765
(Lithuanian Grand Duchess Birutė Uhlan Battalion ) SSgt Darus Kardokas, Senior CIMIC Specialist, Lithuanian Grand Duchess Birutė Uhlan Battalion, cell phone no. +370 686 80 335.
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Birutė Uhlan Battalion in Alytus is one of the key pillars of the Lithuanian Land Force which required to meet particularly high national and NATO standards. It receives corresponding investment of significant scope to arm the unit, develop its infrastructure and increase readiness.
The repair facility which is going to be introduced Tuesday is a 6 million euro investment. It accommodates concurrent repair of 8 vehicles and is staffed by up to 60 people. Spread out across 1.5 thousand square meters, it will ensure maintenance for infantry fighting vehicles, Joint Light Tactical Vehicles and other types of military transport. The facility is furnished with full building services engineering (air conditioning, heating, cooling, etc.) to ensure top quality health and hygiene conditions for the staff.
The refurbished barracks is an investment of approx. EUR 5.5 million. The premises are suitable for up to 700 servicemembers. The infrastructure will be taken care of by a staff of over 50 individuals. The entire area of the barracks amounts to nearly 2.9 square meters. Most of the buildings in the area of the Lithuanian Grand Duchess Birutė Uhlan Battalion dated back to pre-World War I times and could not meet the requirements of modern-day barracks. However, the reconstruction has been carried out in adherence with cultural heritage protection requirements.
Currently the Lithuanian Grand Duchess Birutė Uhlan Battalion is equipped with the most modern equipment in the Lithuanian Armed Forces: infantry fighting vehicles, Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, other weaponry and equipment. Arrival of the new equipment necessitates proper investment in maintenance infrastructure, while personnel conditions are improved by refurbishing the barracks.
Investment in infrastructure in the Lithuanian Grand Duchess Birutė Uhlan Battalion has amounted to a significant share, approx. 8% of all National Defence system investment in defence infrastructure over past 5 years. Last year the Battalion got new internal roads and reconstruction of the minor barracks. Yet earlier, an ammunition warehouse had been built and mess-hall refurbished.
Investment in Birutė Battalion infrastructure does not stop here and is set to hit tens of millions of euros: constructions of a gas station with a car war are planned to be completed by the end of the year, constructions of a simulator for IFV and other equipment is about to begin, as well as the minor sports facility, warehouse and other infrastructure.
