Offset versus off-the-shelf in arms procurement: the Boxer infantry fighting vehicle in Lithuania as a case study

Abstract

ABSTRACT The aim of this article is to discuss offset versus off-the-shelf options for arms procurement in Lithuania between 2014 and 2022, including the acquisition of the Boxer infantry fighting vehicle. Content, quantitative, and qualitative comparative analyses are used to interpret accessible data. Lithuania, as an off-the-shelf buyer, achieved a median price for the Boxer in a short-term perspective, while countries/manufacturers or technology-acceptors gained economic advantages and beneficial prices. Upcoming arms procurements in Lithuania could anticipate and even shape the position of the government toward offset implementation in arms acquisition.