The Lithuanian Navy commissioned and named the new patrol ship LNS Sėlis (P15) during a January 11 ceremony in Klaipėda.
LNS Sėlis is a former Danish Navy Flyvefisken-class vessel that Lithuania bought earlier from Denmark.
The new ship is replacing 50 years old Storm-class LNS Sėlis (P32) that was built in Norway.
The newer Flyvefisken-class vessel was handed over to Lithuania on the basis of an agreement signed by the Lithuanian Armed Forces and the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO) in September 2016.
Under the agreement, the Lithuanian Armed Forces bought the P15 vessel and two anti-submarine detection sonar systems for patrol ships. The total value of the project was EUR 6.5 m.
The Lithuanian Navy Chaplain blessed the ship and the crew according to country tradition. Representatives of Utena district council, a partner of the LNS Sėlis crew since 2001 when patrol ship Sėlis (P32) was commissioned, unveiled the name plaque of LNS Sėlis (P15) and signed a symbolic act of blessing.
With the commissioning of the new vessel the Lithuanian patrol ship squadron now consists of four Flyvefisken-class ships of the same type: Žemaitis (P11), Dzūkas (P12), Aukštaitis (P14), and Sėlis (P15).