Aug 21, 2012

Future of the Croatian Navy

Croatian Fleet Review by "Per Nordenberg", thank you  ;)

Cartography
Coastline:
3,127 NM at the Adriatic Sea with 1,100 offshore islands.

Personnal Strength:
2009: 1,850 (620 officers)

Coast Defence:
Three mobile RBS 15 batteries on trucks (likely to be decommissioned due to lack of funds).
10 coastal artillery batteries.

2 Submersibles:
2 R-2 Mala class
2-man swimmer delivery vehicles [LDW], 1,4 tons, 4,9 meters.

0 (2-4 planned) corvettes:
2-4 MEKO type planned for service by 2015, up to 120 meters (to replace the two Kralj class).

5 missile boats:
2 Kralj
(RTOP 11 Kralj Petar Kresimir IV, RTOP 12 Kralj Dmitar Zvonimir), 382 and 390 tons resp. fl, 54+ meters, commissioned in 1992 (11) and 2001 (12) resp., overhaul and engine replacement in 2011, to be replaced by two new corvettes in mid 2010's.

2 Helsinki
(RTOP 41 Vukovar, RTOP 42 Dubrovnik), 300 tons fl, 45 meters, originally commissioned as Oulu and Kotka in the Finnish navy in 1985-86, decommissioned in 2007, transferred and recommissioned in 2009, have some ASW capability as well.

1 Konçar
(Šibenik), 264 tons fl, 45+ meters, originally commissioned in the Yugoslavian navy in 1978, recommissioned in 1991, has been overhauled with new turbine engines and radars, to remain in service until 2018-20.

4 (+ 6-10 planned) patrol boats:
(6-10 planned locally built with first launch late 2013, 40 meters.)

4 Mirna (type 140)
(OB-01 Novigrad, OB-02 Šolta, OB-03 Cavtat, OB-04 Hrvatska Kostajnica), 142 tons fl, 32+ meters, commissioned in 1982-85, modernized in 2007-09 with new radars and raiding boats, display new coast guard markings.

2 Landing Craft Tank
2 Cetina (Silba) [LCT/ML]
(DBM 81 Cetina, DBV 82 Krka), 880 tons fl, 49+ meters, commissioned in 1993 and 1995 resp., can be used for minelaying.

4 Landing craft
3 type 21 [LCVP]
(DJB 103, DJB 104, DJB 107), 38 tons fl, 21+ meters, built in 1987-88.

1 type 22 [LCVPF]
(DJC 106), 42 tons fl, 22+ meters, built in 1987.

1 Inshore Minehunter
1 MPMB
(LM 51 Korcula), 173 tons fl, 25+ meters, commissioned in 2007.

2 Training Ships
1 Moma (project 861) [AX]
(BS 72 Andrija Mohoroviçiç), 1,514 tons fl, 73+ meters, originally commissioned in 1972 as a survey vessel, used as the Naval Academy training ship.

1 Spasilac [ASR]
(BS 73 Faust Vrançiç), 1,590 tons fl, 55+ meters, former salvage ship now employed as a training and command unit, refitted in 2005.

1 Transport
1 PT 71 type [AKL]
(PT 71), 710 tons fl, 46+ meters, built in 1953, refitted in 2007.

The Croatian navy while being very small obviously have high ambitions with new highly capable corvettes and locally built patrol boats planned for the near future, but lack of funds might result in further delays or even cancellation. Much equipment is of Soviet or Yugoslavian origin or design, which has proved to difficult to even maintain.