Croatian War Navy

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Croatian War Navy (Croatian: Hrvatska ratna mornarica) is a branch of the Croatian Armed Forces.

The purpose and role of the Croatian Navy (HRM) is to defend the integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Croatia, to promote and protect its interest in the Adriatic Sea, islands and coast-lands. It carries and organises the naval defence of the Republic of Croatia. The Croatian Navy fulfills its role by preparing itself and carrying out the following main tasks:

Deterring the threat to the Republic of Croatia by maintaining high level of competence, training and technical quality of equipment
Constant control of the Adriatic Sea and coast-land and monitoring of foreign war ships' movement
Strengthening of the safety conditions on the Adriatic Sea and preserving the integrity of the maritime borders
Implementation of the program "Partnership for Peace in the Mediterranean"

Basic structure:

Navy Command
Staff service support
Navy Fleet
Navy Education and Training Command
NMS North
NMS South

[edit] Naval Force

Missile boats
1. Kralj Petar Kresimir IV (1992)
2. Kralj Dmitar Zvonimir (2001)
3. Sibenik (1978)
Patrol boats (all passed on to coast guard)
1. Novigrad (1980)
2. Solta (1982)
3. Cavtat (1984)
4. Hrvatska Kostajnica (1985)
Landing and mine layng craft
1. Cetina (1993)
2. Krka (1995) - on 5 July 2006 in Sibenik Naval yard accident suffered hull damage resulting in stern sinking
Submarine
1. Velebit (1985)
+ cca 20 ships and crafts (few have been given to coast guard)

[edit] History

The present Croatian navy was founded during the Croatian War of Independence in 1991. However, it traces its roots from various navies that existed much before.

The medieval Croatian state was in its time a formidable navy on the Adriatic, and the day when the fleet of Croatian duke Branimir defeated the Venetian navy on September 18, 887 was chosen to commemorate the navy as the Day of the Croatian War Navy.

The more contemporary origins of the navy are in the Austro-Hungarian Navy, as well as the navy of Yugoslavia, whose 35 ships and various depots were seized during the war.