On Monday, 1 December 2025, the Defence Material Agency (Gynybos resursų agentura) under the Ministry of Defence of Lithuania signed a contract worth 1.4 billion SEK / 119 million EUR with the Swedish company Saab Defence and Security for the delivery of the Mobile Short Range Air Defence (MSHORAD) system, mounted on the Oshkosh JLTV multipurpose armored vehicle. Deliveries are planned for 2026–2029/30.
Photo: Saab Defence and Security
“We are strengthening Lithuania’s airspace defense. We are procuring the short-range air defense system MSHORAD, one of whose key components is the Giraffe 1X radars, designed to enhance low-altitude airspace surveillance. This will significantly improve the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ ability to detect unmanned aerial vehicles and other low-flying objects. The entire MSHORAD system has been developed to ensure the protection of specific sites, areas, and critical infrastructure. One of the greatest advantages of this system is its mobility, which makes it an especially important capability that will significantly reinforce the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ defensive capacities,” said Minister of National Defence Robertas Kaunas.
This is the third contract for MSHORAD systems for Lithuania. The first was concluded on 9 July 2024 for 1.3 billion SEK / 147 million EUR, with deliveries scheduled for 2025–2027, and the second on 4 October 2024 for 1.2 billion SEK, with deliveries planned for 2026–2029.
However, the contract for integrating the systems with the Oshkosh JLTV (Joint Light Tactical Vehicle) / L-ATV (Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle) chassis has not yet been signed. According to the latest information, this agreement is expected to be concluded in the near future with Saab Dynamics and will be worth approximately 11 million EUR.
“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,” says Görgen Johansson, head of Saab’s business area Dynamics.
On 23 July of this year, the Czech Republic decided to procure 24 MSHORAD systems for the equivalent of 4.2 billion CZK net / 1.8 billion SEK. These will be integrated onto the Czech MARS 4×4 S-330 chassis produced by SVOS, spol. s r.o. of Přelouč, with deliveries scheduled for 2028–2030.
The MSHORAD system includes mobile firing units, mobile Giraffe 1X 3D radar units, the GBAD C2 command-and-control system, a training package, and simulators for the RBS 70 NG (New Generation) short-range surface-to-air missile system.
The latter use second-generation Bolide missiles with a range of up to 8,000 m and an engagement ceiling of up to 5,000 m. These missiles can also effectively engage armored targets such as fixed-wing aircraft or attack helicopters, and even ground targets.
The Giraffe 1X 3D radar features an AESA electronically scanned antenna built with gallium nitride (GaN) technology. The triangular antenna measures 0.5 m in height and 1.0 m in width, with a mass of 100 kg (60 kg for the antenna alone; it also includes an IFF subsystem and a rotating unit). Together with the remaining system components (processing unit, power unit and operator laptop), the total system mass is under 300 kg. Most electronic elements are internal, and the system is air-cooled. Thanks to enhanced ELSS (Enhanced Low, Slow and Small) capability, it can more effectively identify small targets at long ranges. The electronically shaped and steered antenna beam enables very rapid scanning in elevation from 0° to 70° (Sweden has ordered Saab C2 systems with radars, and the United States is procuring Saab Giraffe 1X radars for Ukraine).
Saab unveiled the MSHORAD system on 30 March 2022.
🇱🇹 Lithuania boosts its air defence: ordering a third mobile short-range MSHORAD system from Sweden’s Saab Dynamics.
🔥 Featuring Giraffe 1X radars, RBS70 NG launchers and full fire control, with deliveries set for 2026–2029.
🚀 A major step forward in mobility and protection. pic.twitter.com/J4bT4q6AbH
— Lithuanian MOD 🇱🇹 (@Lithuanian_MoD) December 1, 2025
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