Lithuania Military Power Ranking 2025

MPR Rank: 132nd
MPR SCORE: 235
MPR Index: 0.0622 (1.0000 is perfect)
Reverse MPR Index: 0.8887 (0.0000 is perfect)
Z Score: -0.566 (standard deviations above the mean)

Overview

Lithuania ranks 132nd globally in the 2025 Military Power Rankings. As a front-line NATO member bordering Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave and Belarus, Lithuania maintains a robust national defense doctrine centered on deterrence, rapid mobilization, and total societal defense. Its military, the Lithuanian Armed Forces (LAF), are well-integrated into NATO command structures, with a force architecture focused on combined arms maneuver warfare, hybrid threat mitigation, and interoperability with allied units, especially from the United States, Germany, and Poland.

Lithuania reintroduced mandatory conscription in 2015, boosting readiness and reserve depth. The military has undergone significant modernization, including the procurement of Western armored vehicles, self-propelled artillery, and digital command-and-control networks. With one of the highest defense spending levels in NATO by GDP, Lithuania has positioned itself as a leading example of NATO burden-sharing, with a force optimized for territorial defense, resistance operations, and multinational reinforcement.

Strengths

1. High NATO Integration and Alliance Interoperability

Lithuania hosts NATO Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) battlegroups, contributes to the NATO Response Force (NRF), and maintains joint training operations with U.S. and German units, ensuring high levels of operational readiness and multilateral coordination.

2. Rapid Mobilization and Total Defense Framework

Through a conscription-based model, voluntary defense organizations, and a national resistance plan, Lithuania maintains a broad-based defense posture that integrates military and civilian assets into a unified strategy.

3. Advanced Land Force Modernization

Lithuania has invested in Boxer IFVs, PzH 2000 artillery, Javelin ATGMs, NASAMS air defense, and C4I upgrades, rapidly transforming its army into a capable, flexible ground force with significant deterrent value.

Why Lithuania Is Still Ranked 132nd

1. Limited Force Size and Combat Depth

The active-duty force remains relatively small (approx. 23,000 including conscripts), with limited strategic depth, combat aviation, and long-range strike options, making it dependent on NATO reinforcements for sustained combat.

2. No Indigenous Air Force or Naval Strike Assets

Lithuania lacks fighter aircraft, missile systems, and naval power, relying on allied air policing and possessing only a modest naval patrol force for Baltic Sea security.

3. Geographic Vulnerability to Kaliningrad and Suwałki Gap

Lithuania’s location adjacent to Kaliningrad and the narrow Suwałki Corridor (connecting it to Poland) poses a strategic vulnerability, making rapid defense reinforcement both essential and logistically complex in a high-threat scenario.

Conclusion

Lithuania maintains one of NATO’s most resilient and modernized small militaries, structured around total defense, alliance integration, and territorial resistance. While limited in strategic reach, its strength lies in preparedness, force professionalism, and a whole-of-society defense posture. Its low ranking reflects limited offensive assets, not its credibility as a frontline NATO contributor or its importance in the defense of the Baltic region.

Military Strength and Force Projection

Active Military Personnel: 20,000
Reserve Personnel: 30,000
Paramilitary Forces: 14,000 (Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union and Border Guard)
Army Personnel: 15,000
Navy Personnel: 1,300
Air Force Personnel: 3,700

Ground Forces

Main Battle Tanks (MBTs): 0
Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs): 350+ (Boxer IFVs, M113 variants)
Artillery Pieces (Towed & Self-Propelled): 120+
Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 6 (HIMARS acquired in 2024)

Air Force

Combat Aircraft: 0
Attack Helicopters: 0
Transport Aircraft: 5+
Training Aircraft: 6+

Aircraft Breakdown:

NATO allies conduct Baltic Air Policing from Šiauliai Air Base
C-27J Spartan Transport Aircraft: In service
L-39 Trainer Aircraft: Operational
UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopters: Recently acquired

Naval Forces

Warships: 8+
Submarines: 0
Frigates/Corvettes: 0
Patrol and Mine Countermeasure Vessels: 8+

Naval Vessel Breakdown:

Hunt-class Mine Countermeasure Vessels (from UK): Operational
Patrol boats used for Baltic Sea surveillance and NATO maritime missions

Missile Capabilities

Lithuania fields HIMARS long-range precision rockets and anti-tank missile systems such as Javelin. Its short-range air defense includes NASAMS and man-portable Stinger systems. Lithuania does not possess ballistic or cruise missiles.

Strategic Partnerships

Lithuania is a core NATO member and hosts a German-led multinational battlegroup under the alliance’s Enhanced Forward Presence. It maintains strong defense ties with the U.S., Germany, Poland, and other Nordic-Baltic states. The country plays an active role in joint EU-NATO initiatives on cyber defense and hybrid threat resilience.

Military History & Combat Experience

Lithuania’s military history is shaped by its struggles for sovereignty, Cold War occupation, and post-independence integration into NATO, with modern operational experience drawn from coalition deployments and territorial defense planning.

War of Independence (1918–1920):
Following the collapse of the Russian Empire, Lithuania fought against Soviet forces, Polish militias, and Bolshevik partisans to secure independence. The war laid the foundation for a national resistance tradition centered on small-unit defense and irregular warfare.
Soviet and Nazi Occupations (1940–1990):
Lithuania was forcibly annexed by the Soviet Union, occupied by Nazi Germany, and re-occupied by the Soviets, who imposed decades of military control, suppression, and forced conscription. This period greatly shaped modern Lithuanian defense identity and hostility to Russian influence.
Restoration of Independence and Armed Forces Rebuilding (1991–2004):
After regaining independence, Lithuania rebuilt its military from scratch, focusing on professionalization, Western training, and interoperability, leading to NATO membership in 2004.
Coalition Deployments and NATO Missions (2005–present):
Lithuania has contributed forces to Iraq, Afghanistan, Mali, Kosovo, and other missions under NATO, EU, and UN mandates, gaining experience in logistics, engineering, counterinsurgency, and coalition staff operations.
NATO Air Policing and Forward Defense Participation:
While Lithuania lacks combat aircraft, it hosts Baltic Air Policing missions, maintains forward logistics, and supports multinational eFP battlegroups, reinforcing its commitment to NATO collective defense.

Lithuania’s military legacy reflects a transition from occupation to alliance integration, with its current doctrine grounded in asymmetric deterrence, rapid defense activation, and seamless NATO coordination, making it a vital node in Eastern European security.

General Information

Demographics and Geography

Population: ~2.8 million (2024 est.)
Population Available for Military Service: ~1.0 million
Geographic Area: 65,300 km²
Land Boundaries: 1,273 km
Bordering Countries: Belarus, Latvia, Poland, Russia (Kaliningrad)
Coastline: 90 km
Climate: Transitional between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers
Terrain: Lowland, with rolling hills and numerous lakes
Natural Resources: Peat, arable land, forests, amber
Proven Oil Reserves: None
Proven Natural Gas Reserves: None

Economic Indicators

Defense Budget (2025): ~$2.0 billion USD
Defense Budget as % of GDP: ~2.8%
GDP (PPP): ~$130 billion USD
GDP per Capita (PPP): ~$46,000
External Debt: ~$35 billion USD
Military Expenditure Trend (last 5 years): Steadily increasing; strong NATO focus

Military Infrastructure and Readiness

Military Service Obligation: Mandatory for men (9 months)
Primary Defense Focus: Territorial defense, Baltic security, NATO integration
Military Industry Base: Modest; maintenance, electronics, logistics
Cyber/Electronic Warfare Capability: Advanced; integrated with NATO cyber defense
Nuclear Warhead Inventory: None (non-nuclear state)
Major Military Districts / Commands: Joint Command under Lithuanian Armed Forces General Staff
Missile Inventory Highlights: NASAMS, Javelin, Mistral, HIMARS (on order)
Reservist Call-up Readiness / Timeline: High; 15–30 days
Reservist Force Size: ~30,000

Space, Intelligence, and Strategic Infrastructure

Space or Satellite Programs: LituanicaSAT-2, EU/ESA collaborations
Military Satellite Inventory: None
Intelligence Infrastructure: State Security Department (VSD), Military Intelligence
Intelligence Sharing Partnerships: NATO, EU, Nordic-Baltic defense cooperation
Airports (Total): ~21
Major Military Airports: Šiauliai AB, Kaunas (dual-use)

Naval Power and Maritime Logistics

Merchant Marine Fleet: ~50 vessels
Major Ports: Klaipėda
Naval Infrastructure: Coastal patrol vessels, mine countermeasures
Naval Replenishment Capability: Regional capacity only

Domestic Mobility and Infrastructure

Railway Network: ~1,800 km
Roadways: ~85,000 km

Energy and Fuel Logistics

Oil Production: None
Energy Imports: Fully diversified post-2022; LNG and grid-based
Strategic Petroleum Reserves: EU/IEA compliant reserves

Defense Production and Strategic Forces

Domestic Defense Production: Small arms, electronics, UAVs
Military Installations (Domestic): Vilnius, Rukla, Šiauliai
Military Installations (Overseas): NATO missions
Foreign Military Personnel Presence: NATO Enhanced Forward Presence (Germany-led)
Defense Alliances: NATO, EU
Strategic Airlift Capability: NATO SAC, light fixed-wing fleet
Wartime Industrial Surge Capacity: Moderate

Research and Industry Support