Lithuania hosts largest-ever allied military exercises

Lithuania is set to host one of the largest military exercises on its soil this May, with approximately 8,000 troops and more than 1,000 units of military equipment from NATO member states taking part.

The exercises will include air and naval components, involving dozens of aircraft, helicopters, and ships, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

According to Lithuania’s Ministry of Defence, the drills will span various levels of complexity, from command-level exercises to large-scale field manoeuvres on training grounds across the country. The upcoming operations form part of the tactical exercise Griffin Lightning 2025, coordinated by NATO’s Multinational Corps Northeast.

“This is one of the most extensive joint military training cycles ever held in our country,” said Lieutenant General Raimundas Vaikšnoras, Chief of Defence of Lithuania. “Its scale not only demonstrates our readiness and that of our allies to operate collectively but also sends a clear message about our unity and determination to defend every inch of NATO territory.”

A central focus will be Perkūno tvirtovė 2025, Lithuania’s flagship national defence exercise, which runs from May 13 to 27. It will simulate the implementation of the country’s armed defence plans and culminate in Perkūno griausmas later this autumn—another phase involving live tactical manoeuvres in multiple regions.

The series also includes multinational operations such as Iron Wolf 2025-I, from 5 to 16 May, featuring around 3,700 troops and 700 vehicles from Lithuania’s Iron Wolf Infantry Brigade and the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group stationed in Rukla. The troops will rehearse offensive and defensive combat scenarios.

Following this, from May 16 to 22, the U.S. Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade will conduct an airdrop at the Gaižiūnai training area, transitioning into the wider Swift Response 2025 drills. Around 1,700 U.S. troops will be airlifted into Lithuania from France and Italy to rehearse reinforcement operations along NATO’s eastern flank.

The Strong Shield 5 exercise, taking place from May 12 to 18, will involve over 1,000 personnel from Lithuania, Latvia, and Portugal’s armed forces. Its focus will be enhancing interoperability in defensive operations aligned with national and allied strategies.

In parallel, Germany will deploy around 30 military aircraft to Lithuania, including TIGER attack helicopters, NH90 transport helicopters, CH-53 heavy-lift helicopters and EC135 multi-role aircraft. Some flights—conducted both day and night—will be carried out at low altitudes over large parts of Lithuania, including border regions.

Further operations are scheduled along the Lithuanian coast. From May 5 to 16, the Storm Defender 2025 drills will involve Lithuania’s Port and Coastal Defence Service alongside Portuguese forces and local emergency services. The exercise aims to secure port functionality in crisis scenarios.

In the Baltic Sea, a mine countermeasures operation titled Open Spirit/EODEX 2025 will take place from 9 to 23 May. Thirteen naval vessels and mine-hunting units from 14 NATO countries will gather in Klaipėda to detect and neutralise underwater explosives.

Later in the month, from May 19 to 24, Lithuania will for the first time host Stork and Eagle—a joint artillery exercise involving its rocket artillery battery and that of the U.S. Army. The drill will enhance the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ ability to independently operate HIMARS rocket systems. Live-fire exercises in the Baltic Sea are scheduled for early June.

All operations are part of a long-planned military training cycle, aligned and coordinated with NATO’s command structures. The Ministry of Defence has advised the public to expect an increased presence of military convoys on Lithuanian roads and more frequent military flights in the skies throughout May.

By Aghakazim Guliyev