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Armed Forces of Croatia

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"Croatian Armed Forces" redirects here. For other uses, see Croatian Armed Forces (disambiguation).

Armed Forces of Croatia
Oružane snage Republike Hrvatske (Croatian)
Emblem of the Croatian Armed Forces
Founded20 April 1991; 35 years ago (1991-04-20)
Service branches Croatian Army
 Croatian Navy
 Croatian Air Force
Websitewww.morh.hr/en/
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief Zoran Milanović
Ministry of Defence Ivan Anušić
Chief of the General Staff Tihomir Kundid
Personnel
Military age18 – 30
ConscriptionYes
Active personnel13,814 (2024)[1]
Reserve personnel17,352 (2024)[2]
Deployed personnel Kosovo – 520[3]
Hungary – 205[3]
Lithuania – 195[3]
Poland – 161[3]
India / Pakistan – 20[3]
Western Sahara – 12[3]
Expenditure
Budget€1.931 billion (2025)[4]
Percent of GDP2.08% (2026)
Industry
Domestic suppliersĐuro Đaković (vehicles)
Brodosplit (naval vessels)
HS Produkt (small arms)
DOK-ING (robotics)
Šestan-Busch (gear)
Orqa (drones)
Foreign suppliers
Related articles
History
RanksCroatian military ranks

The Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia (Croatian: Oružane snage Republike Hrvatske – OSRH) are the national military forces of Croatia. The Croatian military consists of three service branches: the Croatian Army, the Croatian Navy and the Croatian Air Force. The OSRH is headed by the President of Croatia as commander-in-chief while defence policy is overseen by the Government of Croatia. The military supports the foreign policy of Croatia and international security initiatives. It is the sole military wing of the Croatian security and intelligence system.

Since the Croatian War of Independence (1991–1995), the Armed Forces have played a key role in protecting territorial integrity. The military's first foreign deployment was to the War in Afghanistan, in 2003, later joining the military alliance NATO in 2009. Croatia maintains a close security and foreign intelligence relationship with NATO and the United States. The military has been deployed to various United Nations (UN)-led and NATO-led missions around the world. Since joining the European Union (EU) in 2013, it became a part of the EU defence forces.

The Armed Forces have seen significant militarization and modernization since the early 2020s due to regional geopolitical risk. Its deep integration within Europe and the U.S. has led to a robust defence industrial base and emerging defence sector. The Croatian military is among the most technologically-advanced in Southeast Europe.[5][6] Croatia has had military conscription since 2025, previously enacted from 1991 to 2008. The Armed Forces are spread across continental Croatia and capital city Zagreb, with the Navy largely based in Split.

History

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Main article: Military history of Croatia

Formation in the early 1990s

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In the late spring of 1991, the first military units of the National Guard Corps were formed, established on 20 April 1991.[7] By the decision of the President of the Republic and which, for legal and political reasons, was formally part of the Ministry of the Interior.[7] The Croatian Party of Rights organized its armed detachments, the Croatian Defence Forces (HOS), which were privately armed, relatively well trained and trained at the tactical level, and deployed to critical positions on the battlefields.[7] The Party of Democratic Change (ZNG) armed its activists in Istria, the Littoral and Dalmatia, as did the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) in other parts of Croatia.[7] In some places, the TO system[clarification needed] was reactivated in Zagreb which proved more effective.

The system of command and control was initially inefficient. The ZNG was under the dual jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Defence.[7] A large part of the command in the field was transferred to local crisis staffs composed and led by political officials who did not necessarily have military knowledge broader than those they had acquired during their conscription service in the JNA.[7] There were often several different units in the field, which, even if they were nominally in the same organization, often did not have a common higher command.[7]

The main tasks of the ZNG were to prevent the penetration of the JNA and other forces in the most important directions, to defend cities and critical areas, and to conquer JNA barracks in the depth of their own deployment.[7] These tasks began to be fulfilled more comprehensively and systematically only after the armed forces were organized into a single Croatian Army (HV) on the basis of the new defence Law, and when the General Staff was established on 21 September 1991, with Chief General Anton Tus as its Chief.[8] At that time, a more systematic mobilization of reserve soldiers and the organization of units, commands and institutions began, as well as the planned use of forces.

On 1 October 1991, large military-territorial and combat commands (Operational Zones) were formed with headquarters in Osijek, Bjelovar, Zagreb, Karlovac, Rijeka and Split.[7] Subordinate to them were operational groups that commanded certain directions and areas.[7] The basic and at the same time the highest tactical units were infantry brigades (professional and reserve), and brigades and battalions of other branches were also formed. By the end of the year, 63 brigades had been formed and developed.[7]

Croatian War of Independence

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Further information: Croatian War of Independence
A M18 Hellcat Tank Destroyer used during the Croatian War of Independence, 2019

During the Homeland War, the armed forces gradually grew to about 300,000 members.[7] Most of the units were filled from the reserve, i.e. from the personnel who acquired basic military knowledge during their compulsory military service in the Yugoslav People's Army.[7] With growing military experience, the quality of these units grew, and the organization of the entire system improved over time.[7] The training of new generations of 18-year-old young men who served in the Croatian Army continued, whereby army units during military service were generally not used for combat tasks.[7]

As the war progressed, through clandestine operations, significant amounts of military surpluses created after the collapse of the Warsaw Pact were purchased; in particular, the procurement of combat aircraft of Soviet origin was significant for the formation of the Croatian Air Force.[7] The Air Force had included about twenty MiG 21 aircraft and several Mil Mi-24 combat helicopters, as well as several transport helicopters.[9] The domestic industry has become capable of significant independent production of weapons and military equipment.[10]

The Croatian Navy was created to a large extent thanks to the successful action of capturing about one quarter of the Yugoslav Navy vessels in Šibenik in 1991. RBS-15 anti-ship missiles were also captured:[11] this system made in Sweden has not yet been put into operation by the Yugoslav Navy, and the Croatian Navy succeeded in doing so after Croatian experts independently developed the "Phobos" fire control system; namely, the Swedish manufacturer was not allowed to deliver that key part of the weapon system. With the introduction of modern missiles with a range of over 70 km into operational use, the Croatian Navy had largely prevented serious action by the enemy navy. The combined Armed Forces were in a wartime activation until 12 March 1996, when they switched to peacetime by the decision of the President of Croatia.[12]

21st century

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A Croatian Army M116 howitzer demonstration, 2020

After the end of the war, several important waves of reforms followed. There was an increasingly visible trend of other transition countries, as well as NATO members, to put emphasis in the development of the armed forces on mobility, on interoperability and flexibility in the use of the armed forces, and not on the mass composition and heavy equipment.[13] The process of reforming the defence system began in 2002.[13] The aim of the reform and reorganization is to establish a modern structure of the defence system that will be able to respond to the challenges of the new era, taking into account the membership in NATO and within the European Union.[14] During 2003, the Ministry of defence and the General Staff began working on the Strategic defence Review (SPO), which was adopted in 2005.[13] With the adoption of the Long-Term Development Plan of the Croatian Armed Forces 2006 – 2015 (DPR) in the Croatian Parliament on 7 July 2006, clear content and time frames for further reform, development and modernization of the Croatian Armed Forces in the next decade were set.[13]

Modern military objectives have focused on developing advanced collective defence and security mechanisms, namely:[13]

Croatian Navy ships patrolling territorial waters in 2021, on the Adriatic Sea
  • transition to the professionalization of the Croatian Armed Forces, which means replenishment of soldiers voluntarily, and not through conscription;
  • the transition to a collective defence system means a smaller active and reserve composition, but better trained, equipped, compatible and interoperable with allies.
  • the possibility that smaller nations that are members of the Alliance, such as Croatia, can partially "specialize" in order to be able to contribute to joint operations in a specific way with their limited capacities.
  • even greater overall engagement of units and members of the Croatian Armed Forces in collective activities, international missions, and preventive security activities

In 2007, the Croatian government professionalized their Armed Forces by waiving the year's requirement for compulsory military service.[15] The first generation of volunteer conscripts began serving in November 2008, after formal military conscription concluded following its 1991 initiation.[16]

The Croatian military significantly expanded during the early 2020s due to the regional Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.[17] Croatia's deep integration within Europe and with the U.S. has led to modernization as well as joint procurement of advanced military assets.[18] The Croatian Parliament reenacted military conscription in 2025.[19][20] The Croatian military entered into a regional defence pact with Albania and Kosovo in 2025.[21] Amid the 2026 U.S.-Israeli war in Iran and the related Israeli incursion into Lebanon, the Croatian government preemptively withdrew its troops from Iraq and Lebanon.[22]

Defence expenditure

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Further information: List of countries in Europe by military expenditures

In the post-war early 2000s, Croatia moderated its military budget to accommodate nation-building. During the wartime 1990s defence represented a major stake in Croatian public spending due to then ongoing Croatian War of Independence. In 1995, the Croatian defence budget stood at 12.4 billion Croatian kuna or around 10% of gross domestic product (GDP). Since 1995, Croatia has had the third-highest military expenditure per capita in Southeast Europe according to SIPRI.[23] Approximately €1.14 billion was paid in defence pensions to some 97,000 individuals in Croatia in 2024.[24][25] Military expenditure has increased markedly, rising 22.2% in 2024 and 18.2% in 2025.[16] Croatia brought its defence budget to 2% of GDP in 2025.[18] It intends to grow defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030, commensurate with economic growth in Croatia.[26] It supports bringing defence spending to 5% by 2035.[27] Nearly 29% of defence spending in 2025 will facilitate military modernization to NATO standards, above the 20% NATO obligation.[28]

The defence expenditures of Croatia, summarized for the following years as a component of GDP:[29][30][31][18]

Year Defence expenditure % of GDP % change
2021 $1.361 billion 1.95 Increase 38.4
2022 $1.285 billion 1.78 Decrease 5.5
2023 $1.441 billion 1.74 Increase 12.1
2024 $1.624 billion 1.81 Increase 12.7
2025 $2.052 billion 2.08 Increase 26.3

Organization

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The Government of Croatia oversees its national security.

The Armed Forces are divided into branches, services, professions and their specialties. The President is the Commander-in-Chief and exercises administrative powers in times of war by giving orders to the Chief of Staff, while administration and defence policy execution in peacetime is carried out by the Government through the Ministry of Defence. This unified institution consists of land, sea, and air branches referred to as:

The current structure of the Croatian Armed Forces has been in force since 1 December 2014 and consists of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, Croatian Army (HKoV), Croatian Navy (HRM), Croatian Air Force (HRZ), Croatian defence Academy (HVU), Support Command (ZZP), Special Forces Command (ZSS), Military Disciplinary Court (VSS), Military representations (VP) and Headquarter support units (PP).[32]

  • General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces is a joint body organized within the Ministry of Defence which is responsible for the command, preparation and use of the Armed Forces. General Staff commands the entire Armed Forces in accordance with the dictate of the Commander-in-Chief (President of Croatia) and the Minister of Defence and performs other professional activities for the Commander-in-Chief and the Minister of Defence. It also has a number of units under its direct command, including the ZSS, Honour Guard Battalion and several others.
  • Commands of the branches of the Armed Forces are responsible for the functioning of the branches of the Armed Forces and are responsible for the preparation of subordinate commands and units for the execution of tasks. Branch commands participate in the professional development of personnel and are responsible for the training of active and reserve personnel.
  • Croatian Defence Academy (HVU), also known as the "Dr. Franjo Tuđman", is a higher educational military institution of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia. It is responsible for the training of individuals for the needs of the entire Croatian Armed Forces. It is located in the "Petar Zrinski" barracks in the Zagreb district of Črnomerec.
  • Support Command (ZZP) is the most important part of the logistics system of the Croatian Armed Forces and is responsible for the implementation of logistical, medical and part of personnel support for the Croatian Armed Forces. It's responsible for the acquisition and preparation of all State resources allocated to the Armed Forces and for the overall plan of their use and its applicability to operations on the battlefield.
  • Croatian Special Forces Command (ZSS) is one of the three independent commands of the Croatian Armed Forces, subordinate directly to the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces. CROSOFCOM mission is to ensure the combat readiness of the special operations forces for operations in defence of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Croatia and to participate in NATO and coalition-led operations.
  • Military representations (VP) represent the Armed Forces and carry out their duties, professional tasks related to participation in the work and monitoring the work of departments, working groups, permanent and temporary bodies at the North Atlantic Alliance, European Union and at the Allied Command Operations and the Allied Command Transformation.
  • Staff support units (PP) are established for the purpose of developing capabilities for the implementation of various tasks and support activities, which other compositions, due to the specificity or scope, cannot be provided by the Armed Forces within its organic composition. Those units are: Intelligence Center (SOD), Military Police Regiment (PVP), Honor Guard Battalion (PZB), Center for Communication and Information Systems (SKIS), Personnel Management Center (ZUO) and Home of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (DGSOS)

Organization chart

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Croatian Armed Forces organization as of April 2026 (click image to enlarge)

Military assets

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Further information: List of equipment of the Croatian Army, List of active Croatian Navy ships, and Croatian Air Force § Aircraft
A Croatian Rafale fighter jet in a simulated NATO intercept with the U.S. in 2025

The Croatian Armed Forces maintain a variety of military assets, including weapons, vehicles, aircraft, drones, ships, technology, radar systems, and infrastructure. Croatia has a robust defence industrial base due to its close partnership with the European Union and United States.[33] The Croatian military is among the most technologically-advanced in Southeast Europe.[5][6] Croatia signed Annex 1-B of the Dayton Agreement in 1996, establishing a regional notification and data exchange program for select military assets.[34] The country is an emerging military supplier to NATO with many of its key military installations on the Adriatic Coast in active use by NATO and the United States Navy. Since Operation Sharp Guard in 1993, the territorial waters of Croatia have been a deterrence asset in Southern Europe for the Croatian Navy and NATO.[35][36]

The Croatian Army has some of the following military assets: 650 AFVs, around 150 pieces of artillery, 105 MLRSs, 75 tanks, and 25 SPGs. The Croatian Air Force has 12 Dassault Rafale F3-R fighter jets, 8 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, d10 Mi-171 combat-transport helicopters and 15 OH-58 Kiowa attack helicopters. The Croatian Navy has 30 ships, out of which five 60-80 metre fast attack craft are used in offensive capabilities.[5] Following the 2022 Zagreb Tu-141 crash, the Croatian military promptly acquired surface-to-air missile (SAM) air defence systems Mistral and VL MICA.[37][38] From 2024 to 2025, it purchased 50 Leopard 2A8 from Germany as well as additional Black Hawk helicopters, eight HIMARS rocket launchers and 89 Bradley M2A2 tanks from the United States.[39][40]

Croatia’s has material private sector involvement in the research and development of drone technology used by the Armed Forces.[41] The military has tested Croatian-Estonian technology Vegvisir, a mixed reality digital mapping system that allows for ultra-low latency spatial visibility.[42] It significantly expanded its military drone program through strategic procurements and domestic manufacturing of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in 2024.[41] During the 1990s the military was known for its covert aerial surveillance drone program, later becoming one of the first countries to use armed drones in active warfare in 1993.[41] Since 2025, it has a planned annual production of 500,000 combat drones as part of broader European and NATO rearmament.[43] Croatian robotics company DOK-ING was contracted by German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall to produce an advanced reconnaissance drone fleet for NATO countries.[44] In 2024, it purchased six armed Bayraktar TB2 drones from Turkey.[45]

Personnel

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As of 2024, the Armed Forces had 13,814 active military personnel with 17,352 reservists.[46] Total available male manpower aged 16–49 numbers 1,035,712, of which 771,323 are technically fit for military service. Croatia has had military conscription (for men aged 18 to 28) since 2025, previously enacted from 1991 to 2008.[47][16]

Command

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Croatian President Zoran Milanović inspecting Croatian and U.S. troops in 2022

The Commander-in-Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces is the President of Croatia.[48] Command of the Armed Forces in peacetime shall be exercised by the Commander-in-Chief through the Minister of Defence, who shall be responsible to the Commander-in-Chief for the implementation of the order and shall report to him on the implementation. In a state of imminent threat and a state of war, the Commander-in-Chief directly issues orders to the Chief of the General Staff and at the same time informs the Minister of Defence of the issued orders. In this case, the Chief of the General Staff shall be responsible to the Commander-in-Chief for the implementation of the order. If the Minister of defence fails to carry out the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, who may exercise command of the Armed Forces directly through the Chief of the General Staff.[49]

Command and direction in the Armed Forces shall be carried out by officers and non-commissioned officers appointed and assigned to command duties in the Armed Forces. Command is based on the principles of single-leadership and subordination. Members of the Armed Forces shall be accountable to their superiors for their work, command and management. For the purpose of establishing a unified system of command and control over all parts of units in the country and abroad, a new organizational unit was established at the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces: the Command Operations Center (ZOS).[50] A unique operational picture is created in the Command Operations Center and enables the conduct of all activities and operations of the Croatian Armed Forces units in the period of up to 96 hours, including the engagement of forces in the execution of tasks of surveillance of the air and sea space of the Republic of Croatia. The Croatian Parliament exercises democratic control over the Armed Forces.

International cooperation

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United States

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Further information: Croatia–United States relations § Military cooperation
The U.S. Army carrying the American flag through Croatia during a military parade, 2025
Pair of Croatian MiG-21s and U.S. Navy F-14 over Adriatic Sea, 2002

Croatia and the United States are close military allies and share a robust bilateral defence industrial base.[51][52][53] In 1995, the U.S. trained and equipped the Croatian Armed Forces in joint-initiation of Operation Storm during the Croatian War of Independence, securing much of modern Croatian borders.[54][55] Both are members of NATO, leveraging Croatia's aerospace and defence manufacturing and U.S. military operations to advance multilateral initiatives.[56] After the 2022 Tu-141 drone crash in Zagreb, the U.S. dispatched two F-16 fighter jets in a show of military strength for Croatia.[57] U.S. interests in Croatia are centered on the state's stabilizing influence in the region and extending the global reach of jointly-held Western ideals. Both nations exchange military assets and foreign intelligence. The Croatian diaspora in the U.S. is estimated to be around 1.2 million which, in part, informs the military policy of Croatia.[58][53] The U.S. and Croatia collaborate on 11 separate military programs, funds, and initiatives.[59]

The United States Navy frequently docks naval ships and aircraft carriers in Split, where it maintains a logistical office in the Lora Naval Base.[60][61] The United States European Command maintains a training facility at this naval base.[62] The Croatian island of Krk has served as a logistics hub for U.S. military supply chains heading to the Middle East.[63] The two nations have deep defence integration and interoperability.[64] The Croatian Armed Forces have a special relationship with the U.S.-based Minnesota National Guard through their State Partnership Program.[65]

United Nations

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A Croatian soldier in Afghanistan, 2009

The Croatian military began its initial participation in UN peacekeeping missions in 1999 by sending 10 members of the Croatian Armed Forces to Sierra Leone for UNAMSIL as peace observers.[66] Members have similarly been participating in the UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) operation since July 2007 as staff officers, and since 2013 as liaison officers.[66] In March 2023, officer of the Croatian Armed Forces was commended by the UNIFIL commander for his assistance in the evacuation of injured soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces due to the activation of a mine explosive device during March 2023.[66]

In October 2008, a reconnaissance team (15 members) were deployed to EU peacekeeping missions (EUFOR) in Chad and the Central African Republic.[66]

NATO

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Further information: Croatia–NATO relations
The NATO flag on display in Zagreb, 2009

Croatia has been an active participant in NATO military interventions since February 2003, with an initial deployment of Croatian military police to Afghanistan for NATO's ISAF mission.[67] In July 2009, another deployment of Croatian soldiers were sent to Kosovo, as part of KFOR.[67] Croatia participates in NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence operation in Poland and Lithuania.[67] The first Croatian contingent went to Poland in October 2017, the second in March 2018, and in October of the same year, the 3rd Croatian contingent was deployed to the northeast of Poland to the military training ground "Bemowo Piskie".[67]

As part of the further strengthening of the European deterrence against Russian aggression in Ukraine, NATO launched an enhanced vigilance activity in February 2022, which led to the formation of Croatian battlegroups in Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria in July.[67] The Croatian government provided over €300 million in military aid to Ukraine as part of broader efforts within NATO that year.[68]

Foreign engagements

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The Croatian Armed Forces have been deployed around the world for military engagements, peacekeeping missions, and multilateral campaigns.[69] Since 1999, over 6,000 Croatian troops have participated in foreign military interventions.[69] They have deployed to multiple NATO, UN, EU, and American-led missions in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.[69]

Current Mission Organization Location Number of personnel (2026)
NATO Enhanced Forward Presence – Battle Group Poland NATO Poland 161
NATO Enhanced Forward Presence – Battle Group Lithuania NATO Lithuania 195
NATO Enhanced Forward Presence – Battle Group Hungary NATO Hungary 205
NATO in Kosovo - KFOR NATO Kosovo 520
Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 NATO Mediterranean Sea 13
Operation Sea Guardian NATO Mediterranean Sea 66
European Union Naval Force Somalia – Operation Atalanta European Union Somalia 4
European Union Naval Force Mediterranean – Operation Irini European Union Mediterranean Sea 5
United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan – UNMOGIP United Nations India and Pakistan 20
United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara – MINURSO United Nations Western Sahara 12
Operation Inherent Resolve U.S. Armed Forces Kuwait 3
Former Mission Organization Location
NATO mission in Iraq NATO Iraq
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon - UNIFIL United Nations Lebanon
European Union mission in Chad – EUFOR Tchad/RCA European Union Chad
European Union Naval Force Mediterranean – Operation Sophia European Union Mediterranean Sea
International Security Assistance Force – ISAF NATO Afghanistan
Operation Active Endeavour NATO Mediterranean Sea
Operation Triton European Union Mediterranean Sea
Resolute Support Mission – RS NATO Afghanistan
United Nations Disengagement Observer Force – UNDOF United Nations Golan Heights - Syria and Israel
United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea – UNMEE United Nations Ethiopia and Eritrea
United Nations Mission in Liberia – UNMIL United Nations Liberia
United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone – UNAMSIL United Nations Sierra Leone
United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor – UNMISET United Nations East Timor
United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia – UNOMIG United Nations Georgia
United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire – UNOCI United Nations Ivory Coast
United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus – UNFICYP United Nations Cyprus
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti – MINUSTAH United Nations Haiti

See also

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References

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