2024-07-04 03:30:53
“Yes, we are in talks, but I can’t get too specific. I can only briefly. Some of them are also manufacturers of ammunition, only of a different caliber than Rheinmetall. These will be the 30mm rounds suitable for our infantry fighting vehicles. I can tell they are Americans, but I won’t say anything else.
We are watching and waiting. I hope that perhaps in the course of the next two months we will have some kind of firmer step forward,” L. Kasčiūnas explained to the “Verslo žinios” portal on Wednesday.
“We are also working with another very interesting offer that has just appeared. But here I can say almost nothing, except that it is also related to infantry fighting vehicles,” he added.
At the end of April, the Seimas also approved changes to the laws that would allow large defense industry companies to start developing projects in Lithuania faster. After the law comes into force, these manufacturers will be able to start developing projects without obtaining construction permits. Project promoters will have to obtain these permits before the end of construction.
Although these changes were intended to facilitate the arrival of the German industrial giant Rheinmetall, when adopting these changes, the Minister of Economy and Innovation Aušrinė Armonaitė said that talks are already underway with French and US defense industry companies.
The changes simplify the procedures related to territorial planning, the formation of land plots and construction. In this way, the conditions are created to start the activities of such a defense industry in Lithuania in the shortest possible time.
The Ministry of Economy and Innovation signed the agreement on the development of Rheinmetall in Lithuania at the beginning of June.
After that, the Government agreed on Wednesday that, taking into account the consent of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU), the lands it manages in Radviliškis district would be transferred to the state and the Rheinmetall ammunition factory could be built there.
Investments in the ammunition factory are planned to reach more than 180 million. euros and more than 150 jobs will be created. The factory will produce thousands of ammunitions per year, some of which will also be used for the needs of the Lithuanian army.
2024-07-04 03:30:53