Lithuania plans to acquire 100 Swedish CV90 Mark IV infantry fighting vehicles as part of a six-nation joint procurement arrangement. This decision was approved by Lithuania's State Defense Council.
This fact-check may be outdated. Consider refreshing it to get the most current information.
Executive summary
Lithuania has approved a plan to acquire roughly 100 Swedish CV90 MkIV infantry fighting vehicles as part of a multi‑nation procurement involving five other NATO partners, a move the State Defence Council has backed and which sits inside a broader Nordic‑Baltic cooperative framework [1] [2] [3]. Deliveries are projected to begin around 2028, but the deal remains embedded in technical arrangements, industrial negotiations and cost estimates that are not yet finalised [3] [1] [4].
1. The decision: what was approved and by whom
Lithuania’s State Defence Council approved the acquisition plan to obtain approximately 100 CV90 MkIV vehicles as part of a six‑nation joint procurement, a decision reported across Lithuanian and international outlets and explicitly linked to the multinational Statement of Intent signed earlier in 2025 [2] [1] [5]. Multiple sources reiterate the figure of about 100 vehicles for Lithuania and confirm the Mark IV variant as the intended model, tying that national decision to the larger pact signed by Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden [3] [5] [6].
2. Who’s in the programme and the timeline to delivery
The joint project emerged from a June 5, 2025 Statement of Intent and subsequent technical arrangements signed by the six participating countries to coordinate assessment, development and potential joint purchases, with a technical agreement signed in autumn 2025 and deliveries planned to start in 2028 [7] [8] [3]. While most reporting lists Sweden, Norway, Finland, Lithuania, Estonia and the Netherlands as participants, some accounts note shifting signals from individual capitals during 2025 discussions, underlining that membership and exact quantities remain part of ongoing negotiation [5] [9].
3. Industrial participation and the domestic angle
A prominent objective for Vilnius is not only to buy vehicles but to secure local industrial work: Lithuanian officials have promoted partial assembly and integration of domestic suppliers into the CV90 supply chain to create sustainable local participation and jobs, and political discussion has even moved toward a state defence holding to steer such procurements [10] [11] [12]. Industry commentators and national leaders framed the multinational approach as a way to achieve economies of scale and to synchronise deliveries, though the precise industrial share and financial terms are subject to later contract negotiations [11] [4].
4. Cost, capability and operational rationale
Public reporting places the CV90 MkIV among the most modern IFV options in Europe, valued for mobility, protection and modularity, and the Lithuanian order is presented as a mechanised complement to other major buys such as Leopard 2 tanks to form a more robust infantry division; prior national CV90 deals in Europe suggest programme costs can run into the low‑to‑mid billions for large batches, with one estimate placing a ~100‑vehicle bill in the region of €1.3 billion depending on variant mix [11] [4] [10]. Proponents emphasise interoperability with neighbours and enhanced firepower and manoeuvre; critics and fiscal hawks have noted that final figures for procurement, sustainment and munitions are still to be negotiated [6] [4].
5. Legal and political caveats — agreements vs contracts
The international paperwork so far includes statements of intent and technical arrangements that establish cooperation principles and an action plan but are not binding procurement contracts; several outlets stress negotiations and industrial models were expected to be finalised by the end of 2025 and that the main contract signature was planned for early 2026, meaning the State Defence Council’s approval is an important political step but not the final commercial close [4] [3] [1]. Reporting also notes occasional mixed signals from partner states during 2025 discussions, underscoring that strategic alignment and budgetary approval across six defence ministries remain prerequisites [9] [8].
6. What to watch next
Key milestones to monitor are the formal main contract expected in early 2026, concrete industrial‑workshare agreements (including any announced assembly in Lithuania), finalized unit and variant mixes that determine capability and cost, and the first delivery schedules aimed at 2028; each of these steps will convert political intent and technical arrangements into an operational reality or reveal sticking points among partners [1] [3] [10]. Sources consulted confirm the deal’s broad contours but also make clear that substantive contractual, budgetary and industrial details remain to be settled [4] [11].