Lithuania's arms and military equipment procurement system is failing to meet the needs of its armed forces despite rapidly rising defence spending, the National Audit Office said on Friday.
The audit found that the proportion of failed weapons procurements jumped from 24% in 2023 to 59% in 2025. As a result, some military requirements are being met later than planned.
Both internal and external factors are hindering the system's ability to meet military needs on time.
Internal causes include funding constraints, shifting procurement priorities, outdated capability development plans, lengthy decision-making processes, a shortage of qualified specialists, insufficient monitoring of procurement efficiency, and fragmented management of key armament projects.
The external environment, meanwhile, is shaped by rising international demand for weaponry, limited manufacturing capacity, and long production and delivery lead times – all of which have delayed the fulfilment of various military requirements.
