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Croatia - Navy - Modernization

The current status of the Navy is characterised by a distinct variety of ships, combat technology and equipment, according to purpose, origin and age. A great portion of the equipment is technologically obsolete and problems concerning regular and prescribed periodic maintenance have not been solved.

As of 2006 RBS-15 missiles were the basic weapons on the three fast missile craft (RTOP-11, 12 and 21) and three mobile coastal launchers (MCL). Weapons for anti-air/anti-missile combat were insufficient in amount and quality. The Croatian Navy did not have the capability for anti-submarine activity. The Croatian Navy had one non-operational submarine at its disposal. It was intended for offensive mine lying and transport of underwater special forces. The CAF will not maintain a submarine capability and it was to be withdrawn from use. The Croatian Navy had mine laying ships at its disposal, while for the conduct of counter-mine combat the navy had a mine-anti-mine diving unit and resources at its disposal. Equipping of these units is being conducted according to plan. The building of a small anti-mine ship is in process, expected to be finished in 2006. The Croatian Navy has at its disposal a sufficient type and amount of resources for the conduct anti-sabotage protection. The Croatian Navy did not have the capability to strike targets at the coastal edge or deeper inland.

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 Croatian Navy will be equipped with a new patrol ship which will ensure the capability for control of territorial waters and the protected ecological fishing zone in the Adriatic Sea. Financial resources amounting to 1, 1 billion Kuna are planned to be allocated to equipping and modernization of the main naval combat systems over a ten year period.

• Write off ships that do not fulfil the needs and requirements for conduct of Croatian Navy tasks and ships that cannot be maintained within the existing logistic system or overhaul capacities of domestic shipyards by 2010.
• 4 new open sea patrol ships [corvettes] - 80–120 meters in length, to enter service by 2015. Cost of program - 3,000 million Croatian Kuna - project at standstill by 2012.
• 2 Göteborg class corvette - HMS Kalmar K23 and HMS Sundsvall K24 are being offered to the Croatian Navy if Croatia agrees on JAS-39 Gripen purchase. Program is a donation but since two missile boats have already been bought, the deal was questionable.
• 6-10 new patrol boats - locally built, 40 meters in length. Cost of program - 500-700 million Croatian Kuna - project at standstill, its realization has been sought since 2006 and the first ship was to begin construction in 2007 but the program itself is being continuously postponed year after year. According to the latest information, the construction of the first ship is to commence in autumn 2010.
• 11-12 smaller boats of various purpose and class are due to enter service by 2012.
• Complete building and equipping the small anti-mine ship by the end of 2006.
• Overhaul of existing 2 Kralj class fast attack craft, including new engines. Cost of program - 70 million Croatian Kuna - according to the latest information the overhaul should be performed in 2011
• Upgrade of RBS-15 missiles to the latest standard. Cost of program - 120 million Croatian Kuna - program started in 2009 with the payment of the first tranche of nearly 14 million USD (70 million HRK) but was very soon canceled due to lack of funds

The LM-51 Korcula anti-mine ship is the work of the Montmontaža-Greben shipyard from Vela Luka, of the Brodarski Institute in Zagreb, of the Marine Electronic Centre in Split, of Engineering for Industrial Electronics from Zagreb and of the professional office of the Ministry of Defence, who jointly built Croatian anti-mine ship. The LM-51 Korcula, in addition to basic military purposes, can be also be used for many civilian purposes. The main purpose of this ship is to detect, locate and identify bottom and moored mines and to destroy or mark them.

In 2009, the Navy received two Helsinkiclass missile gunboats. These are 41 and 42 rocket gunboats, which have arrived from Finland and were given the names Vukovar and Dubrovnik. All of the equipment on the ships is NATO-compatible; they are multi-purpose vessels that can carry out traditional tasks and serve the needs of the Coast Guard.