Lithuanian Armed Forces (Lietuvos Ginkluotosios Pajegos): Land Forces (Sausumos Pajegos), Naval Forces (Karines Juru Pajegos), Air Forces (Karines Oro Pajegos), Special Operations Forces (Specialiuju Operaciju Pajegos); National Defense Volunteer Forces (Savanoriu Pajegos); National Riflemen's Union (paramilitary force that acts as an additional reserve force) (2021)
National Armed Forces (Nacionalie Brunotie Speki): Land Forces (Latvijas Sauszemes Speki), Naval Force (Latvijas Juras Speki, includes Coast Guard (Latvijas Kara Flote)), Air Force (Latvijas Gaisa Speki), National Guard (2021)
Military service age and obligation
19-26 years of age for conscripted military service (males); 9-month service obligation; in 2015, Lithuania reinstated conscription after having converted to a professional military in 2008; 18-38 for voluntary service (male and female) (2019)
18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription (abolished 2007); under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2019)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
2.13% of GDP (2020 est.)
2% of GDP (2019)
1.97% of GDP (2018)
1.71% of GDP (2017)
1.48% of GDP (2016)
2.27% of GDP (2020 est.)
2.03% of GDP (2019)
2.06% of GDP (2018)
1.59% of GDP (2017)
1.44% of GDP (2016)
Military - note
Lithuania officially became a member of NATO in 2004
Latvia officially became a member of NATO in 2004
Military and security service personnel strengths
the Lithuanian Armed Forces have approximately 16,000 active duty personnel (12,500 Army, including about 5,000 National Defense Voluntary Forces; 600 Navy; 1,000 Air Force; 2,000 other, including special operations forces, logistics support, training, etc); est. 11,000 Riflemen Union (2021)
the National Armed Forces of Latvia have approximately 6,000 active duty troops (5,000 Land Forces; 500 Naval Force/Coast Guard; 500 Air Force) (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Lithuanian Armed Forces' inventory is mostly a mix of Western weapons systems and Soviet-era equipment (primarily aircraft and helicopters); Germany and the UK are the leading suppliers of armaments to Lithuania since 2010 (2020)
the Latvian military's inventory is limited and consists of a mixture of Soviet-era and more modern--mostly second-hand--European and US equipment; since 2010, it has received limited amounts of equipment from several European countries, as well as the US (2020)
