An acquisition contract for 30 CAESAR® MkII artillery systems was signed on 10 December 2025 in Vilnius, Lithuania, in the presence of Ms. Vitaliia Zumeriené, Lithuanian Deputy Minister of Defence, and H.E. Lucie Stepanyan, Ambassador of France to Lithuania.
A further step in the modernization of Lithuanian artillery, this contract demonstrates the confidence placed in KNDS and in the CAESAR®, a reference artillery system within NATO.
Lithuania’s choice is fully in line with the desire to strengthen the French-Lithuanian bilateral relationship and European defence cooperation. It will contribute to the protection of NATO’s Eastern flank.
This new acquisition comes as Lithuania had already chosen the CAESAR® in 2022, with the purchase of 18 units. This new contract will bring the total number of CAESAR® MkII systems in service with the Lithuanian forces to 48.
This new partnership will also support the growth of the local defence industry, as the agreement includes the establishment of an operational readiness maintenance centre in Lithuania. Future operational and industrial partners will thus benefit from the full expertise of KNDS.
The CAESAR® MkII, an evolution of KNDS France’s reference artillery system Equipped with the same weapon system as the CAESAR® 6x6 MkI - its predecessor, proven in numerous combat operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Mali, and more recently in Ukraine - the CAESAR® 6x6 MkII has already been ordered by France, Belgium, Slovenia, and Croatia, in addition to Lithuania. Furthermore, letters of intent have been signed by Bulgaria and Portugal.
Also air-transportable by A400M, the CAESAR® MkII features improved engine power as well as an armoured cabin offering enhanced protection against mines, IEDs, artillery shell fragments, and especially against remotely operated munitions, a major threat to artillery pieces since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. Finally, its digital architecture has been completely redesigned, providing better performance in terms of interoperability, cybersecurity, and integration of different fire control systems.
KNDS is the leading pan-European land defence company, uniting over 10,000 employees and generating €3.8 billion in revenue in 2024. With a strong order backlog of €23.5 billion, the group delivers innovative complete mission solutions built on state-of-the art technologies. Leveraging deep industrial expertise and strong partnerships, KNDS develops open, interoperable solutions combining manned and unmanned systems, designed to meet tomorrow’s operational challenges.
As a prime contractor, KNDS provides full system-of-systems capabilities, from platforms to ammunition and services, managing the entire value chain and encompassing complete product life cycles
Born from the alliance of Nexter and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, uniting key nations within a single group, KNDS embodies the path toward a collective and efficient future for the sovereignty and security of Europe’s defence by supporting the standardization and interoperability between European and NATO forces.
Trusted by 24 European armies and 19 worldwide, KNDS benefits from decades of combat-proven experience. KNDS embodies a united, efficient model to enhance stability and long-term security in Europe and beyond.
