The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense announced on April 14 that the U.S. has donated to Lithuania M72 LAWs (Light Antitank Weapon) which will be used to arm the National Defence Volunteer Force of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. This is not the first time the United States boosts the Lithuanian defence by investing several tens of millions of dollars in its weaponry.
The donation was handed over to the National Defence System at a ceremony held at the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas Headquarters Battalion in Vilnius. The event was attended by Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas, U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania HE Robert S. Gilchrist, Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lieutenant General Valdemaras Rupšys, representatives of the Ministry of National Defence and the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
The M72 LAWs will supplement the current arsenal of Swedish-made Carl-Gustav AT-4 anti-tank weapons used by the Lithuanian Armed Forces infantry. The M72 LAW light anti-tank weapons are of a smaller caliber than the AT-4 and their effective firing range is shorter, however, the M72 LAW is significantly lighter and more compact.