Lithuania’s Defence Ministry is eyeing reconnaissance drones made in the country that could replicate the Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drone, which has made its mark during the war in Karabakh as well as in Ukraine.
“There is no chance of catching up with the Americans in terms of quality, or Israel for that matter, because they’ve been working on it for much longer, and they’ve invested much more,” Domantas Brucas, director of Lithuania’s Institute of Space Science and Technology, said.
“But it is certainly possible to make similar things with similar characteristics, perhaps slightly inferior, at a much lower price, and to produce it all locally,” he added.
The institute has been working on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for years. Most of their current orders already come from the country’s institutions.
“Usually, someone has seen what the Americans are doing or what they are using and they want the same,” said Brucas. “But they want it much cheaper, much faster and locally made. It turns out, you can match those needs and requirements”.
The war in Ukraine has also shown that drones are priority targets themselves. Therefore, Lithuania may turn to domestic manufacturers to secure a constant supply at an affordable price, according to Defence Minister Arvydas Anusauskas.
In another lesson from the war in Ukraine, the drones also need to be resistant to electronic warfare, the minister said.
“There are various proposals and we will have to look at who could offer technologically advanced production and who could do it in Lithuania,” said Anusauskas.
While Lithuania seeks its own homemade options, it is now dumping hundreds of China-made drones over security issues. (LRT/Business World Magazine)
