Lithuania to Deploy Ukrainian Acoustic Drone Detection System

Starting in 2026, Lithuania plans to deploy a Ukrainian-developed acoustic drone detection system to strengthen its airspace security.

Raimundas Vaikšnoras, Commander-in-Chief of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, shared the news during an interview with national broadcaster LRT, amid discussions surrounding a recent UAV incursion into Lithuanian airspace.

When asked whether Lithuania would be introducing acoustic detection systems to complement its existing radar-based surveillance, General Vaikšnoras confirmed that preparations are already underway.

“This year marks the beginning – we’ve allocated funding for the acquisition. Testing is scheduled to take place by the end of the year, and as the Air Force Commander noted today, deployment of these systems will begin next year,” he said.

He added that the process had been somewhat delayed due to bureaucratic procedures, explaining that “this is, so to speak, a Ukrainian system that needed to be adapted to our American systems due to certain sensitive nuances.”

Earlier, it was mentioned that the system in question is Sky Fortress.

The Lithuanian Commander-in-Chief also stated that additional air defense systems will be deployed closer to the border with Belarus.

Last year, it was reported that the defense ministries of several NATO countries highly praised the potential of acoustic air threat detection systems, based on the experience of using the Ukrainian-made Zvook and Sky Fortress systems.

At the time, The Economist wrote that the Sky Fortress system had been demonstrated privately at a military training ground in Europe.

Representatives from 11 NATO member states were shown a simulated flight of cruise missile and drone imitators, which were easily detected and tracked.

On the morning of July 28, a Shahed-type drone entered Lithuanian airspace and may have crashed on the country’s territory. Search efforts are still ongoing.