Lithuania has placed a 3-billion-Swedish-krona ($326 million) order with Saab to secure a sustained supply of Bolide missiles for its RBS 70 NG short-range air defense systems.
The procurement falls under a broader framework agreement involving Saab, Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administration, and Lithuania’s Ministry of Defence, with missile deliveries planned between 2028 and 2032.
The Lithuanian Armed Forces have operated the RBS 70 man-portable air defense system since 2004 to counter low-flying aircraft, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial threats. While earlier RBS 70 variants relied on Mk 1 and Mk 2 missiles, the RBS 70 NG configuration employs the Bolide missile, offering greater speed, extended range, and increased lethality.
In recent years, Vilnius has steadily expanded its Bolide inventory, including a $2.2-million purchase in May 2025 and a $16-million order in May 2024. In December, Lithuania further strengthened its air defense posture by procuring Saab’s Mobile Short-Range Air Defense (MSHORAD) system, which integrates the RBS 70 NG launcher with the Giraffe 1X radar on JLTV 4×4 platforms.
Capable of reaching speeds of up to Mach 2, the Bolide missile can engage targets from a few hundred meters out to approximately 8 kilometers. Its laser beam-riding guidance ensures high resistance to electronic countermeasures, delivering accurate and reliable performance against modern aerial threats.
