Lithuanian Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas and French Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu signed an agreement covering the supply of 18 new generation Caesar Mark II self-propelled 155 mm howitzers during their meeting in Paris on 29 December.

The Lithuanian Ministry of Defence envisages an allocation of approximately 110-150 million Euros for the entire Caesar Mark II artillery system development and supply project. The funds cover both the development and purchase of equipment and its integration into the Lithuanian Armed Forces.

France-based NEXTER started the design and development of the new generation Caesar Mark II wheeled artillery system upon the request of the French Ministry of Armed Forces. This system will be an improved version of the Caesar wheeled artillery system currently used in the French Armed Forces. The deadline for the developed systems was determined as 2027.

Lithuanian Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas said, “When analyzing the course of the war in Ukraine, we are aware of the need to increase the direct fire support capability of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Lithuania also provides constant assistance to Ukraine with military equipment, so we are faced with the need for replenishment. Therefore, it was decided to procure a new generation of Caesar Mark II artillery systems that are versatile and suitable for a variety of artillery tasks. This decision was taken based on the evaluations of the experts on the subject. The war in Ukraine has demonstrated the importance of artillery’s role on the battlefield and is a critical capability for the Lithuanian Armed Forces.”

In the past weeks, the Czech Republic announced that it would buy howitzers from France, as also featured in C4Defence. In addition, some NATO Allies also use the Caesar system.