Lithuania Orders Third Saab MSHORAD Battery in SEK 1.4 Billion Deal

Sweden’s defence-and-security firm Saab has confirmed that it has received a third order from Lithuania for its mobile short-range air defence solution, MSHORAD. The new contract is valued at about SEK 1.4 billion, with deliveries scheduled between 2026 and 2030. Under the deal, Saab will supply a third MSHORAD battery to the Lithuanian Armed Forces, and integrate the system onto Oshkosh JLTV 4×4 vehicles produced by U.S. firm Oshkosh Corporation.

The head of Saab’s Dynamics business area, Görgen Johansson, reiterated the company’s commitment to supporting Lithuania’s defence needs. “We are proud to continue contributing to keeping the Lithuanian skies safe. Our mobile air defence system can withstand even the most advanced countermeasures, giving the user the capability to plan for the expected and to successfully react to the unexpected,” he said.

What is MSHORAD

MSHORAD is a vehicle-integrated mobile air defence solution designed for protecting moving units. The system combines:

• A Mobile Radar Unit based on Saab’s Giraffe 1X radar, which provides a surveillance range of up to 75 km and 360° coverage.

• A Mobile Firing Unit built around the RBS 70 NG short-range air defence missile, capable of hitting targets out to around 9 km in range and up to 5 km in altitude, with three missiles typically carried in ready-to-fire configuration.

• A command and control system linked through a dedicated datalink enabling fast detection, identification and engagement of aerial threats

The combined system — radar, missile launchers, command & control and datalink — enables swift reaction to a wide range of airborne threats including low-flying aircraft, helicopters, rockets, artillery rockets, drones and UAVs. Saab demonstrated the live-firing capability of MSHORAD in 2022, underlining the system’s effectiveness in fast identification and neutralizing of air threats.

Previous Orders — Building up Lithuania’s Mobile Air Defence Batteries

The recently announced third order follows two prior MSHORAD contracts with Lithuania:

• The first order, announced in July 2024, valued at approximately SEK 1.3 billion, with deliveries slated for 2025–2027.

• The second order, announced in October 2024, worth around SEK 1.2 billion, with deliveries planned for 2026–2029.

The recurring orders demonstrate Lithuania’s steady build-up of mobile air-defence capacities, likely in response to evolving regional security dynamics. For each order, Saab committed to integrate the MSHORAD onto Oshkosh JLTV vehicles before delivery.

Strategic Importance for Lithuania

For Lithuania — a Baltic state bordering Belarus and close to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad — acquiring a mobile, flexible air-defence system like MSHORAD offers several strategic advantages. Fixed air-defence installations are vulnerable to pre-emptive strikes, while a mobile system can be rapidly deployed, repositioned or concealed to respond to dynamic threats.

Beyond traditional threats such as aircraft and helicopters, MSHORAD’s configuration is well-suited to counter modern airborne dangers — UAVs, loitering munitions and precision-guided rockets — which have become increasingly relevant on today’s battlefields. Saab’s 2022 live-firing demonstration highlighted the system’s capability to identify, counter and neutralise air threats quickly, effectively and decisively.

What This Means for Saab

With this third order, Saab further cements its role as a leading provider of mobile air defence solutions in Europe. The repeated orders from Lithuania reflect growing trust in Saab’s technology and reliability.

Additionally, the continuing demand signals a broader trend: NATO and allied nations increasingly seek mobile, flexible air-defence capabilities to handle evolving aerial threats from drones to rockets. For Saab, MSHORAD represents a modern, integrated response to this demand.

The latest SEK 1.4 billion contract for a third MSHORAD battery underscores Lithuania’s commitment to strengthening its aerial defence posture. By acquiring a mobile, radar-and-missile-based system capable of protecting moving forces, Lithuania is adapting to modern battlefield realities — where drone swarms, precision-guided munitions and asymmetric aerial threats pose significant risks. For Saab, the repeated orders highlight the company’s growing influence in the short-range air-defence market.