Naval Group offers heavily armed MP-OPV design for the Lithuanian Navy
French defence company Naval Group has presented an updated Multi-Purpose Offshore Patrol Vessel (MP-OPV) design tailored to Lithuanian Navy requirements. According to Naval News, Lithuania plans to acquire four modular, drone-capable multi-purpose vessels to modernise its fleet.
The new design incorporates significantly heavier armament than earlier concepts. In that sense the ship aims for a combat capability closer to a light frigate than a conventional patrol vessel.
Weapons and sensor fit
According to figures reported by Naval News, the upgraded MP-OPV carries an OTO 76mm gun, two quadruple Naval Strike Missile (NSM) launchers for anti-ship strike, a vertical launch system for air defence (CAMM or VL MICA), two MARLIN 30mm remote weapon stations for close-in defence, a Hensoldt TRS-4D mast-mounted radar and a STIR 1.2 fire-control radar.
The ship also features a reinforced flight deck for 6-tonne-class helicopters, an ice-reinforced hull and integration with UMS Skeldar’s V-200 uncrewed aircraft. That fit describes a platform adapted to the Baltic’s demanding sea and climate conditions.
Derived from a mine-warfare platform
The MP-OPV is based on Naval Group’s Mine Warfare Platform (MWP), developed for Belgium and the Netherlands under the rMCM programme, retaining a high level of commonality with those 2,800-tonne mine countermeasure vessels. That lineage is intended to deliver scale advantages in production and maintenance.
SHIELD Lab and local industry
On 1 July 2026, Naval Group signed a Letter of Intent with four Lithuanian research institutions — Kaunas University of Technology, Klaipėda University, the Baltic Institute of Advanced Technology and the Center for Physical Sciences and Technology — establishing SHIELD Lab, a maritime defence innovation laboratory. The company also plans to develop VANTAGE, a containerised, ship-integrated unmanned-systems solution, using technologies from Lithuania’s domestic industry.
These steps signal that the procurement is framed to extend beyond a ship purchase to include local industrial participation and technology partnership.
Sources
- Naval News – “Naval Group Offers Latest MP-OPV Design for Lithuanian Navy” – 24 July 2026. Used for the design, weapons/sensor fit, SHIELD Lab and programme framing. Link
- Naval Group corporate information – Used for the MWP/rMCM commonality lineage and the VANTAGE project.
