Based in Vilnius, Lieutenant Colonel Tapani Aslak Mattus was accredited in July 2012. Vice Minister Antanas Valys presented to the outgoing official the National Defence System Medal of Merit as a sign of respectful farewell and for his personal contribution to the enhancement of Lithuanian-Swedish defence cooperation.
The incoming Defence Attaché Örjan Ström has been in service with the Swedish Armed Forces since 1985. Prior to the current appointment the officer worked at the Swedish Air Force HQ. LTC Örjan Ström is a graduate of the Swedish National Defence College and the Military Academy Karlberg. The officer was also deployed to multinational missions in Afghanistan, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Defence Attaché of Lithuania to Sweden in based in Copenhagen (Denmark).
Lithuanian-Swedish defence cooperation
Prior to Lithuania’s NATO accession, defence cooperation between Lithuania and Sweden focused on Sweden’s assistance to the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Weaponry and equipment was transferred, projects of medical assistance, fitting up sea and coastal surveillance system, air defence battalion, and air base, to name but a few, were completed, and Lithuanian officers studied at Swedish military education institutions.
The present-day cooperation between Lithuanian and Swedish militaries is developed at unit level, with the closest cooperation ongoing between air, maritime and military medical services. Bilateral cooperation programmes are coordinated at staff level each year.
Sweden’s and Lithuanian navies train in various joint exercises in the Baltic region: Host Nation Support Exercise Baltic Host, Mine Countermeasures Exercise in the Baltic Sea Open Spirit. In 2011 Swedish Air Force JAS-39 Gripen fighter aircraft took part in a Baltic Regional Training Event (BRTE) (since 2016, Baltic Alloy) held by the Allied Air Command in Rammstein alongside NATO equipment to ensure security of the airspace over the Baltic Sea. The Swedish Air Force has been a regular participant of those training events. In the first semester of 2015 Lithuanian soldiers performed standby for the Swedish-led European Union Battle Group (EU BG).
Sweden is also an active participant in the Baltic Defence College (BALTDEFCOL) activities: it was the lead nation from 1997-2003, while at present Swedish students attend lectures at the Baltic Defence College.
Both countries take part proactively in the Nordic-Baltic Regional Defence Cooperation Initiative working to support defence and security reforms in Georgia and Ukraine.
On 9 June 2011 in Brussels the Lithuanian and the Swedish Ministers of Defence endorsed a bilateral agreement on defence cooperation which outlined objectives and principles areas and forms of the cooperation, etc. In the recent year the two countries’ Chiefs of Defence and Ministers of Defence exchanged formal visits.
