Lithuania is embarking on a significant investment initiative, allocating 240 million euros (approximately $278 million) to enhance and modernize the Pabradė Training Area. This project aims to upgrade barracks, dining areas, and fitness facilities while ensuring indefinite logistical support for US rotational forces stationed in the country.
Among the notable upgrades is the inauguration of a new “Soldier Center,” dedicated to the memory of four US soldiers who tragically lost their lives in a training accident earlier this year. The improvements at Pabradė encompass a comprehensive suite of training and fitness infrastructure, designed to support ongoing joint operations and future deployments, reflecting a commitment to enhancing military readiness.
The modernization efforts include a sustainment package that shifts responsibility for ongoing operational costs for all US forces in Lithuania to the Lithuanian government. This transition is expected to alleviate logistical pressures on the army while enhancing the rotational readiness of forces operating in the region.
These upgrades are part of Lithuania’s broader strategy to fortify NATO readiness and interoperability. The developments are especially timely, given that over 1,000 US troops are currently rotating through Lithuania, benefiting from improved living, training, and operational conditions alongside their Lithuanian counterparts.
The collaboration between US and Lithuanian forces has intensified in recent years, marked by various training, infrastructure, and readiness initiatives. A prominent example is Iron Wolf 2025, a large-scale field exercise held in May 2025, which gathered around 3,700 troops and 700 military vehicles from multiple NATO nations. This exercise featured Lithuania’s Iron Wolf Infantry Brigade working alongside the NATO Multinational Battlegroup and culminated in an airborne assault executed by the US 173rd Airborne Brigade.
In June, US Marines, in conjunction with the Lithuanian Land Force’s Rocket Artillery Battery, undertook live-fire training with HIMARS artillery rockets near the Baltic Sea as part of BALTOPS 2025. This operation allowed Lithuanian forces to enhance their proficiency with advanced rocket artillery systems, demonstrating the successful integration of new long-range fire capabilities into the country’s defense framework.
Through these initiatives, Lithuania is not only reinforcing its military infrastructure but also deepening its partnership with US forces, paving the way for a more collaborative and robust defense posture in the region.
