Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė has visited Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to deepen cooperation in AI and robotics with American defense and technology leaders.

She met with the Pennsylvania National Guard, the US National Guard Bureau, and the US Army Artificial Intelligence Integration Center (AI2C) community, with talks focused on applying AI, autonomous systems, robotics, and anti-drone technologies to strengthen Vilnius’ military capabilities.

During the tour, Šakalienė also engaged with Pittsburgh-based tech firms, including Near Earth Autonomy, KEF Robotics, Lovelace AI, and Carnegie Robotics.

The trip supports the Baltic state’s defense industry policy, which prioritizes the production of ammunition and explosives, drone systems, military equipment, and naval defense, while investing in emerging technologies such as sensors, photonics, and secure communications.

Part of the policy involves accelerating domestic arms production through partnerships, the development of fast-tracking approaches, and technology transfer agreements to strengthen supply chains, promote innovation, and meet national and NATO defense requirements.

🇱🇹🤝🇺🇸 Since 1993, Lithuania & the Pennsylvania National Guard have shared more than a security partnership, we’ve built a family. For 3 decades, PANG has helped shape our Western military mindset, training Black Hawk pilots, advancing cyber defence, building our national… pic.twitter.com/qsPmKAiZUg

— Dovilė Šakalienė (@DSakaliene) August 14, 2025

At AI2C, she reviewed US Army efforts to integrate AI and machine learning into combat systems by leveraging joint support from the armed forces, academic institutions, and industrial sectors.

“Visits to such centers and new contacts in the high-tech sector of the US defense industry not only broaden the horizons and form an understanding of the transformation of warfare and future battlefield capabilities,” the minister said.

“They also open up broader opportunities for addressing current challenges and strengthening cooperation between the US and European markets.”

Alliance Overview

The US and Lithuania have forged one of NATO’s closest defense partnerships, anchored by the Pennsylvania National Guard’s cooperation with Vilnius since 1993. American forces have maintained a continuous rotational presence in Lithuania since 2019, reinforcing their battalion with artillery in 2022.

This fall, new US military infrastructure and training facilities worth over $200 million will open in the Baltic state, further strengthening NATO’s eastern flank.

This ongoing partnership is also supported by Lithuania’s approximately $2 billion investment in US-made weapons over the past three years, accounting for roughly 20 percent of its defense acquisitions.

Lithuania’s key purchases of Javelin anti-tank missiles, JLTV armored vehicles, Black Hawk helicopters, HIMARS rocket artillery, NASAMS air defense missiles, and Switchblade drones continue strengthening interoperability with US and NATO forces.