Croatian ground army

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Emblem of the Ground Army

The Croatian Ground Army (Croatian: Hrvatska kopnena vojska), commonly referred to as the Croatian Army (Hrvatska vojska) is a branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia.

The fundamental role and purpose of the Croatian Army is to protect vital national interests of the Republic of Croatia and defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state. Basic tasks of the Croatian Army are:

to maintain a optimal level of combat readiness.
to fight a possible aggressor's main forces on strategic-operational levels and to defend against air and amphibious assaults.
to prevent, in cooperation with the other branches of the Armed Forces, an aggressor from in depth operations in Croatian territory.
to built and develop the capability to respond to requests of non-traditional tasks that are required of the Croatian Army

1 Equipment
2 Structure
- 2.1 Organizational Structure
- 2.2 Modernization Plans
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Equipment

M-95 Degman

Tanks

2 M-95 Degman (new Croatian made MBT)
75 M-84 A1 - proposed modernization of entire fleet under 150 million euro plan
42 AMX-30B2 Tanks (reserve)
192 T-55 (reserve or used for target practice)

AMX-30B2

Armoured Personnel Carriers & Infantry Fighting Vehicles

104x BVP M-80 Tracked IFV (complete modernization)
12x LOV - Wheeled APC (will serve on as scout and recon vehicles)
126x Patria APC's (on order)
70x Iveco Light Multirole Vehicle (on order)

Anti-tank vehicle and missile launchers

24x MILAN anti tank missile launchers
120x M79 Osa
120x 9K111 Fagot
318x 9K11 Maljutka (reserve)

Anti-aircraft warfare

3x SA-10 Long range SAM - procurement of additional 3 batteries planed.
54x Bofors L/70 AA 40mm canons
600x shoulder launched short range anti aircraft missiles.
14x Gaskin SA-9 SAM (likely replacement by modern western system)
9x Gecko SA-8 SAM (likely replacement by modern western system)
24x M59 Praga (target practice after 2008)
2x ZSU 23 SPAAG (target practice after 2008)
44x Bov 3/20 AAV (target practice or scrap heap after 2010)

Bofors L/70.

Artillery

1250x 60mm Mortars (1190 in reserve)
360x 82mm Mortars (290 in reserve)
142x 105mm M56 Howitzers (US origin, 102 in reserve)
200x 120mm M75 Mortars (152 in reserve)
18x 155mm L33 Citer Howitzers (Argentine in origin)
4x 262mm M-87 Orkan MLRS
61x 122mm D-20 Howitzers (Soviet origin – in reserve)
18x 152mm D-30 Howitzers/M87 Nora (Russian/.Yugoslav in origin, in reserve)
36x 155mm M1A1 LT Howitzers (US origin – in reserve)
39x 122mm BM-21 Grad MLRS (in reserve)
92x M-91RAK 12 MLRS (in reserve)
2x RAK24 MLRS (Reserve)

M56-105mm-howitzer

Logistics

550x Army Jeeps, 4WD
1200x 5-10t Army Trucks
100x Field Ambulance Trucks and 4WD vehicles
150x Specialist Vehicles

Former equipment:

192 T-55 Tanks (scraped or used for target practice)
28x M60P Tracked APC (scraped or used for target practice)
142x AT-7 Metis (replaced by a new system)
36x M83 Polo 4X4 (replaced by Iveco MPV)
Strela 2M/A (scraped)
123x 100mm guns (scraped)

[edit] Structure

In order to fulfil its role and accomplish its tasks, the Croatian Army is structured as follows:

Army Command
Logistics
Special Units
Education and Training Command

[edit] Organizational Structure

The Croatian Armed Forces are being reorganized along NATO lines. Under the new structure the Croatian Army will keep 4 brigades, each brigade tasked with specific responsibilities.

The total number of army personnel is going to be reduced to 10.500 active troops, 6.000 reservist and 2.000 volunteers by 2010, from a current strength of 22.000 active and 28.000 reserve personnel.

Croatia plans to have an all professional army by 2010. To ensure this goal is achieved NATO procedures and structures will be followed and implemented rigorously, procurement of new NATO standard equipment will play significant part in new defense doctrine all in an efforts to meet the challenges of NATO membership.

Croatia plans to spend up to 20 billion Kuna (1U$ = 5.65 Kuna) on new arms over the next 8 years of these at least half on Army.

Currently the main procurements are, new Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC's) to replace aging Yugoslav and Soviet-made APC's. In a first step the Croatian Ground Army intends to buy 126 4th-generation APC's, but the eventual total may reach 256 APC’s.

New tactical and reconnaissance vehicles are also needed for the Croatian Army’s peacekeeping duties. Currently Croatia has around 300 troops on peacekeeping duty in Afghanistan and another 200 troops in other hot spots around the world.

Iveco Light Multirole Vehicle

Croatia recently bought 10 Iveco LMV light armoured jeeps at a cost of 330,000 Euro per unit. If they prove themselves in peacekeeping missions, another 70 might be bought. In 2006 Croatian Army received around 150 new trucks, jeeps and other unarmored vehicles.

To meet Croatia's needs for a new Main Battle Tank (MBT), plans call for the modernization of 75 M-84 A1 tanks at a cost of 150 million Euros. However there is opposition to this plan, as the M-84 is an inferior tank. Preferred option is procurement of a modern MBT altogether- with the German Leopard 2A6 being regarded as the best option. The cost of procuring 100 L2A6 is estimated at 550 million Euros, funds Croatia might not be able to afford at this time. Therefore cheaper options might be sought. One might be the procurement of 108 Leopard 2A4 MBT which Germany has offered Croatia at a price of 150 million USD and than upgrade these tanks over time to the Leopard 2A6 standard.

The Croatian MOD has decided to scrap Soviet/Yugoslav era hardware that is not essential to the Army. The T-55 MBT being the first victim of this decision. Many have ended up on the practice range and some have become artificial reefs in the Adriatic Sea. These initiatives are primarily cost cutting measures.

The Croatian Army plans to introduce new assault rifle replacing AK47 in 2008, riffle will be manufactured by local arms producer, Croatia is well known for manufacturing hight quality small arms. .

[edit] Modernization Plans

Croatia plans to spend 3.6-5.5 billion Kuna (645-1000 million USD) over next 4 years on equipping its ground army.

Main programs are:

50 000x New Assault Rifle - 5.56mm NATO standard
100+x New Light multirole vehicle (IVECO MRV)
equipment for night fighting; equipping at least 1 battalion(800-1000men), advanced optoelectronic and sensor equipment, ground radars, thermal imaging cameras and senors, NBC equipment and army bio/chem-decontamination units.
18x 155mm SPH, Upgrading Artillery and improving firepower, procurement of 18 Self propelled Howitzers.
104x M80A - modernization of M80A IFV, plan calls for complete modernization and upgrade to weapon systems as well as new communication and sensor equipment.
75x M84A1 - Modernization of the fleet or procurement of new MBT.
126x Patria IFV/APC 4th generation of wheeled vehicles.
3x SA-10 SAM system procurement and modernization of 3 existing systems.
Procurement of new army engineering vehicles, armored recovery vehicles, mine clearance vehicles and armored personal vehicles designed to withstand mine blasts.
procurement of modern communication and battlefield management systems.
procurement of new logistic and amphibious vehicles.
replacement of Soviet/Yugoslav equipment in Croatian Army.