“Lithuania and Northrop Grumman have signed a memorandum of understanding to increase the co-production of medium-caliber ammunition, building on an initial agreement signed in September 2024.
At the NATO Industry Summit in The Hague, the deal was signed, and it will see the American contractor Northrop and the Norwegian defense company Nammo supply Lithuania’s state-owned Giraitės Ginkluotės Gamykla (Giraitė Armaments Plant) with 35mm ammunition production technology and associated assistance.
“This will allow us to better equip our armed forces and help Lithuania become an important link in international supply chains,” said Lithuanian Vice Minister of Defense, Loreta Maskaliovienė.
The alliance is “essential for the development of the national (military) division by 2030,” said Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė, adding that it enhances strategic independence in defense.
With the goal of purchasing tanks and tracked infantry fighting vehicles, the Baltic nation revealed in January that it intends to devote five to six percent of its gross domestic product to defense from 2026 to 2030.
Additionally, Šakalienė said that the extended agreement with Northrop improves cooperation with NATO allies like the United States and Norway while also helping the nation’s military and those of Ukraine during its conflict with Russia.
The partnership, according to Northrop Corporate VP and Global Business Development Officer Steve O’Bryan, “expedites delivery of a critical defense need and delivers sustained industrial benefits to the United States and Lithuania.”
The deal reinforces the need for dependable and diverse defense manufacturing, following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s prior caution earlier this week about a resurgence of Russian military operations in Europe.
