Saab has secured a 3-billion-SEK ($326 million) contract from Lithuania to supply additional Bolide missiles for use with the RBS 70 NG air defense launcher, ensuring long-term continuity of missile stocks.
The order was placed under an existing framework agreement between Saab, Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administration, and Lithuania’s Ministry of Defence, with deliveries scheduled over the 2028–2032 period.
Lithuania has fielded the RBS 70 short-range air defense system since 2004 to defend against low-altitude aircraft, cruise missiles, and drones. Earlier configurations of the system used Mk 1 and Mk 2 interceptors, while the latest RBS 70 NG variant is optimized for the Bolide missile, which delivers enhanced speed, range, and terminal effectiveness.
Vilnius has reinforced this capability through recent acquisitions, including a $16-million Bolide missile package in May 2024 and an additional $2.2-million order in May 2025. Complementing these purchases, Lithuania ordered Saab’s MSHORAD solution in December, combining the RBS 70 NG system with the Giraffe 1X radar on JLTV 4×4 vehicles to provide mobile, layered air defense.
The Bolide missile reaches speeds of Mach 2 and offers an engagement envelope extending to roughly 8 kilometers. Guided via a laser beam-riding mechanism, it is highly resistant to jamming, enabling precise interception of aerial targets in contested environments.
