• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Croatia - Land Forces - Modernization

During the Croatian War for Independence (Homeland War) between 1991-1995, a UN arms embargo prevented Croatia from buying western technology, equipment, and arms. As a result during the war, Croatia was required to supply its forces by domestic arms production and acquisition on the open market. Buying on the open market through surreptitious means led to the acquisition of a bewildering array of non-standard arms and equipment, most of which was eastern block in origin and of questionable quality. This has created a major logistical problem for the Armed Forces in trying to maintain and train with so many diverse weapon systems.

As of 2006 the main tank in armored CAF units was the M-84 which satisfied the needs of the armed forces but will need to be modernized by the end of the 2015 planning period. T-55 tanks of all types have become obsolete. The mechanised infantry of the Croatian Army is equipped with the BVP M-80A combat vehicle which satisfies the requirements of the armed forces. Beside the BVP M-80A the armed forces also have a lesser number of combat vehicles of various types which are characterized by old age and complicated maintenance. The Croatian Armed Forces did not have modern armored vehicles on wheels at their disposal.

The Army weaponry had at its disposal Anti Air Defence guns of 20 mm calibre, S-10 CRO and S-10M self-propelled missile systems, and shoulder launched "IGLA" and "S2M" light missile systems. The CAF was equipped with anti-armour systems of primarily Eastern origin that had partly become obsolete. CAF units had at their disposal anti-armor guided missile systems, of up to 2.5 km range. Guard’s brigade units had an insufficient number of thermal-visual devices for monitoring and guiding. CAF units do not have anti-armor guided missile systems of medium range for conducting anti-armour combat at distances of 4km while the number of training simulators is insufficient for the training of operators. CAF anti-armour units were not equipped with an adequate number of hand held laser range-finders.

The average age of all types of engineering equipment was too old while their working resources have worn out during use. Such a status has resulted in high maintenance costs and unreliability of equipment. CAF equipment for crossing water obstacles was mostly in the final phase of safe exploitation. Mining and de-mining equipment has been partially rejuvenated while a certain amount of protective gear has been procured. De-mining activities and standards have been harmonised with the Croatian Centre for de-mining, which is responsible for humanitarian de-mining at the state level, and a centre for testing de-mining equipment, machines, detectors and dog training had been built.

Infantry weaponry in use in the CAF was mainly of eastern origin while only a smaller portion was acquired from other sources. The average age was over twenty years. Available weaponry had been stored and maintained according to regulation and was mostly in working order. The amount of weaponry in working order in the CAF satisfied the requirements of the proposed structure but was lacking in quality in comparison to militaries of the NATO alliance.

Most of the personal equipment for NBC protection and decontamination kits against NBC weapons has expired past their period of use. The equipment for chemical detection, detection and dose measurement of radioactive exposure is mostly faulty, incomplete or has become completely technologically obsolete.

The Croatian Army does not have a sufficient number of non-combat vehicles at its disposal, while transport capacities are insufficient. Therefore, in the coming ten year period their gradual replacement will be conducted, while priority will be given to acquisition of vehicles for equipping two motorised battalions (166 vehicles) in order to fulfil accepted international obligations. Other vehicles will be replaced gradually, depending on their status and the availability of financial means. The possibility to acquire surplus used vehicles that individual armed forces offer for sale under favourable conditions will also be used as a model.

The Long Term Development Plan of the Croatian Armed Forces (CAF) for the period 2006-2105 was adopted in the Croatian Parliament on 07 July 2006. This is a document that puts into operation the vision of the Croatian Armed Forces shown in the Strategic Defence Review. The most important equipping and modernisation project of the Land Forces was to be a new armored personnel carrier. Croatia planned to spend about 7.5 billion Kuna (1500 million USD) over next 7 years on equipping its ground army.

• Procurement of 126 Patria AMV Modular APC/IFV - 1,200 million Kuna (additional vehicles might be ordered after 2012 once more funds become available). Original contract with Finnish Patria was revised due to economic crysis with no changes in number of vehicles.
• Procurement of 94 Iveco LMVs at a cost of 220 million Kuna. Additional 100-150 vehicles are being considered for the needs of the army.
• Procurement of Advanced Artillery systems, 24x 155 mm Self Propelled Howitzers are to be procured before 2015 to replace obsolete 2S1 self-propelled howitzers. Program is on the back burner as there are more important defense programs and procurement of new howitzers might need to be postponed for few years. Swedish ARCHER Artillery System and French CAESAR self-propelled howitzer are most likely candidates for this program. German PzH 2000 was labeled to be too heavy for Croatian terrain. Cost of program - 1.2 billion Kuna.
• Procurement of 550 5-ton army trucks, 200 7.5-ton military trucks and 300 4WD vehicles - program is in a full swing and first batch of MAN (150), Mercedes (30) and Iveco (50) military trucks was delivered. Croatian Army also ordered large numbers of new 4WD vehicles, Mercedes-Benz G-Class - 160(320), Land Rover Wolf - 30, Toyota Land Cruiser - 50, Nissan Navara - 50, delivered in 2005-2007. Cost of program - 570-580 million Kuna.
• Modernization of M-84A4 Snajper MBTs and their upgrade to M-84D standard. Program calls for an upgrade and modernization of 75 existing tanks and procurement of additional 29 new tanks over the next 4 years due to a plan which requires Croatia to operate at least 104 modern tanks before 2015. Cost of program - 850 million Kuna.
• Introduction of new 5.56 mm NATO standard assault rifle. Cost of program - unknown. (20,000 rifles with day/night sights and grenade launchers were planned). Most likely choice was domestic VHS assault rifle, contract for acquisition of first 1,000 rifles was signed with HS Produkt.
• Scores of smaller programs, communication equipment, night vision capability, electronic sensors, NBC equipment, battlefield management systems and modernization of Artillery systems with new sights and electronic fire control systems.
• Equipping motorized infantry battalion (800-1000 men) with night vision equipment, including advanced optoelectronics and sensors, ground radars, thermal imaging cameras – 120 million Croatian Kuna
• NBC equipment for biological/chemical-decontamination unit – 150 million Croatian Kuna
• Procurement of new army engineering vehicles, armored recovery vehicles, mine clearance vehicles and armored personal vehicles designed to withstand mine blasts – 320 million Croatian Kuna
• Procurement of modern communication and battlefield management systems – 50 million Croatian Kuna
• Procurement of new logistic and amphibious vehicles – 250 million Croatian Kuna
• Procurement of 3-4 Artillery Radars – 30-40 million Croatian Kuna
• Procurement of 8-12 Mobile air defense radars – 200-300 million Croatian Kuna
• Procurement of Army Field Hospital - 80-100 million Croatian Kuna
• Procurement of 16 Army Tank transporters, Heavy Equipment Transporters – 80-100 million Croatian Kuna
• Procurement of Bridge laying equipment – 100 million Croatian Kuna

The Croatian Government on 2 August 2007 made the decision to buy the AMV 8X8 armored battle vehicles of Finnish manufacturer Patria for the needs of the Croatian Armed Forces, equipped in four versions, and will carry armor-piercing missiles, cannons, mortars, heavy machine guns and grenade launchers. Patria Group is a defence, security and aerospace group with international operations delivering its customers competitive solutions based on own specialist know-how and partnerships. Patria is owned by the State of Finland (73,2 %) and the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS N.V. (26,8 % ).

The purchase of 84 armored vehicles from Patria in 2007 was worth EUR 112 million. The Ministry of Defence agreed to buy a further 42 eight-wheeled vehicles from the Finnish manufacturer during the talks, so that the Croatian Army will have a total of 126 AMV 8X8 armoured battle vehicles. The additional 2009 contract of the 42 armoured vehicle is estimated to be worth €68 million. All armored vehicles were expected to be delivered in the following five years.

A tender was opened to equip the 126 vehicles with weapons, communication, medical, reconnaissance, thermal vision, engineering and optical equipment worth 60 million euros. The big contest to equip the Croatian armored battle vehicles with weapons systems was between the Israeli companies Elbit and Rafael and the Norwegian company Kongsberg.

In June 2012 ÐURO ÐAKOVIC Holding d.d. (DDH) and Patria signed a Frame Agreement confirming their common efforts in sales of Patria AMV vehicles to case-by-case selected third countries. DDH will be the prime contractor and will also have a significant role in the production of sold vehicles. The potential customer countries will be identified during the envisaged co-operation. The operative contract on delivery of armoured wheeled vehicles to the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Croatia is in full serial production at ÐURO ÐAKOVIC Specijalna vozila d.d. (DDSV), a subsidiary of DDH which has received all needed technology from Patria. DDSV has delivered over 70 armoured wheeled vehicles made in Croatia.

An investigation in the Patria case started in Finland, whose national investigation office in 2009 said police suspected that money had been given to state officials and people who made decisions in 2007. In January 2012 Finnish police arrested a former Patria executive for attempted bribery of unnamed Croatian officials. By early 2012 the crime police investigation into the alleged bribery of Croatian officials during the purchase of armoured vehicles from Finland's biggest arms manufacturer Patria led to the President's Office, when the police requested a registry of visitors in the President's Office. The police wanted to verify allegation made by Wolfgang Riedl, Patria's go-between person during the sale of armored vehicles in Slovenia and for a short period of time in Croatia as well, about meetings that allegedly took place in the Office of the President during at the time when the office was occupied by Stjepan Mesic.