Ukraine conflict: Lithuania sends mobile command vehicles to Ukraine

Lithuania is providing its M577 command vehicle (pictured) to Ukraine under a military support deal. (Janes/Patrick Allen)

Lithuania has supplied an undisclosed number of M577 armoured command vehicles to the Ukrainian army.

The vehicles, provided under a military support deal, arrived in Ukraine on 5 April, according to the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence (MND) on 6 April.

An MND spokesperson was unable to specify to Janes the number of units supplied for security reasons.

M577 is the command-and-control (C2) variant of the M113 tracked armoured personnel carrier (APC) that was first introduced to the US Army in the 1960s. Three generations exist – A1, A2, and A3 – as is the case with the M113. M577 can also be used as a fire-direction centre and mobile medical treatment facility as well as a communications vehicle.

In December 2016 Lithuania acquired 168 M577A2 vehicles from Germany at a cost of EUR1.6 million (USD1.7 million). The vehicles were suited for various purposes, including C2, artillery fire control, mortar fire control, training, and as an ambulance. This followed an earlier order for 26 M577s from Germany.

Along with the M577, the M113A2 and the M1064A2, also a derivative of the M113, are in service with the Lithuanian Armed Forces.

Lithuania has sent several batches of the M113 to Ukraine since the full-scale invasion, although, specifics regarding which versions or variants are omitted. According to then Lithuanian Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas in September 2022, the country has provided 50 M113 APCs to Ukraine.

For more information on Lithuania's procurement of the M113, please seeLithuania buys 168 M577 command vehicles from Germany . For more information on the M113 family of vehicles, please seeM113 .