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Croatian Air Force

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Croatian Air Force and Air Defense
Emblem of the Croatian Air Force and Defence
Active1991
CountryCroatia
Sizeabout 2,000 personnel
89 aircraft, number due to rise
H/QPleso Airbase, Zagreb
Anniversaries12 December
Commanders
Current
commander		brigadier general Vlado Bagarić
Insignia
Roundel
Fin Marking
Aircraft flown
FighterMiG-21BisD/UMD
PatrolBell 206B-3, Pilatus PC-9M
TrainerPilatus PC-9M, Zlin 242L
TransportAn-32B, Mi-8 MTV-1, Mi-171Sh

Croatian Air Force and Defense (Croatian: Hrvatsko ratno zrakoplovstvo i protuzračna obrana) is a branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia.

Duties

Croatian Air Force and Air Defence aim is securing sovereignty of the air space of the Republic of Croatia and providing air support to other services in implementation of their tasks in joint operations. It is a proponent and organizer of the Croatian air defence integrated system. This double role of the Croatian Air Force and Air Defence is realized with the following main tasks:

  • Inspection and control of the air space security
  • Predominance in Croatian air space, over land and sea, with defence and attacks
  • Providing help in natural, humanitarian and technological disasters
  • Search and rescue operations
  • Support to control of the proliferation of people and material goods

Basic structure:

  • Air Force Command
  • Staff Service Support
  • 91st Airbase - Pleso, Zagreb
    • 21st squadron of fighting aircraft - MiG-21 bisD/UMD
    • 27th squadron of transport aircraft - An-32B, PA-31P, Cessna R.172K, Cessna T210N
    • 28th squadron of transport helicopters - Mi-8MTV-1
  • 92nd Airbase - Pula
    • 22nd fighter squadron - MiG-21 bisD/UMD
  • 93rd Airbase - Zemunik, Zadar
    • 1st squadron of aircraft - Pilatus PC-9M, Zlin 242L
    • 2nd squadron of helicopters - Bell 206B-3, Mi-8T/PS
    • 885th firefighting squadron - Canadair CL-415, AirTractor AT-802F
  • 94th Airbase - Lučko, Zagreb
    • 28th squadron of transport helicopters - Mi-171Sh
  • 95th Airbase - Divulje, Split
    • 20th squadron of transport helicopters - Mi-8MTV-1, Mi-17
  • 218th Air Surveillance Brigade
  • 205th Air Defense Brigade
  • 74th Military Police Battalion
  • 25th Mixed Elint Battalion
  • 279th Signal Battalion
  • 313th Logistic Brigade
  • Air Force Education and Training Command
  • Air Force Medicine Institute
  • 42nd Engineer Battalion

Current status

Croatian fighters fly over Pleso airbase in 2007
MiG-21bisD fighter
Croatian Mil Mi-8MTV-1
Pilatus PC-9M at Zagreb airport
Newly introduced Zlin 242L trainers
Antonov An-32B
File:Bell 206.jpg
Bell 206B-3 helicopter

The core of the air force are 12 modernized MiG-21bisD/UMD fighters which are scheduled to remain in service just for a couple of years more. They were sent to Romania in 2003 for a light upgrade and an extensive overhaul and now incorporate some of the elements of the Lancer standard, primarily to make them interoperable with NATO. Their replacement is expected in 2011 when a squadron of new multirole fighters will have entered service. An official tender calls for 10+2 (10+4) aircraft. To date, requests for proposals have been issued to Saab Gripen, F-16, Mirage F-1, Eurofighter and MiG-29 users and manufacturers. All have since responded and a final decision is due for early 2009.

Training is conducted on two types of aircraft. During late 2007, five new Zlin 242L Aerobatic were acquired to replace 7 old Utva 75 basic trainers. The deal was worth just under $2 million. However, 4 Utva 75 are still officially in service so it is rumored that these might be replaced by additional 3 Zlins in due course. The backbone of the training fleet, however, is built around 20 Pilatus PC-9M advanced trainers which also represent the most numerous type of aircraft in Croatian service. These were ordered in 1997 and entered full service a year later. The whole deal was worth around $100 million. They are also operated by the national aerobatic team called Wings of Storm. As Croatia doesn't plan to obtain lead-in-fighter trainers, the whole fleet is planned to be modernized around the same time the new fighters enter service. The modernization is to include HUDs, HOTAS and possibly instalation of unguided weapons, all in effort to ease the difficulty from advancing from turboprop trainers to multirole fighters.

Croatian air force operates 2 Antonov An-32B tactical transporters which have underwent a two-stage modernization, in 2004 and 2007. They were installed with new navigational and communication equipment, additional loading systems, flare dispensers etc. They now even serve Croatian soldiers in Afganistan. An additional 2-3 cargo aircraft are needed and are to enter service very soon. Some rumours suggest second-hand C-130 Hercules from USAF.

As for the helicopter fleet, Croatian air force is equipped mostly with Russian-built Mi-17 and its derivates. The fleet is based on 3 Mi-8 and 11 Mi-8MTV-1 (also known as Mi-17-1V) cargo helicopters, which were sent to an overhaul in 2005 and 2006.

In 2006, a deal to deliver 10 new Mi-171Sh transport-attack helicopters was signed with Russia. This was a part payment for an old debt of $186 million Russia had with Croatia. Order itself is worth $66 million. The new type differs from the ones already in service by having a cargo ramp instead of clamshell doors, larger side doors, flare dispensers, additional armor around the cockpit and cargo compartment, NVG equipment, door gunner posts, rocket launchers etc. Few additional helicopters might be acquired.

After over 10 years in Croatian service and great success in Operation Storm, the government decided to retire 9 Mi-24 helicopters in 2005 due to a costly modernization. Seven of them are offered for sale at $83,000 per aircraft, while one was sent to a museum and one is used as a ground trainer. Plans for a new type of attack helicopter do not exist at the moment although these kinds of aircraft are definitely needed. In 2007, Croatia was very near to selling its Mi-24s to Georgia but due to Putin's disapproval and a danger of ruining good relations with Russia, the deal was rejected.

While visiting Israel in November 2006, the Croatian delegation agreed to buy 2 mid-size, state-of-the-art Hermes 450 and 4 small Skylark UAVs. Together with these aircraft, additional cameras, computer systems, spare parts and a ground station were obtained. Hermes 450 will be used mainly for maritime patrol. Further purchase of these aircraft have already been or are yet to be made.

After a horrible fire season during the summer of 2007 (12 firefighters lost their lives on a small island of Kornati), Croatia agreed to buy 2 new Canadair CL-415 and 5 Air Tractor AT-802 water bombers. These will join a fleet of 5 relatively new amphibiants already in service. The entire deal is projected at $70 million.

Modernization and Procurement programs 2007 - 2015

  • Procurement of 10-12 Mi-171Sh transport helicopters and all associated spare parts and equipment. Helicopters are equipped up to a NATO standards with mostly western avionics. Cost of Program - 330 million Croatian Kuna paid in exchange for a Russian debt to Croatia.
  • Procurement of 5 Zlin 242L basic trainers. Program has ended as 5 aircraft were delivered in late 2007. Additional ones might be acquired. Cost of program - 8 million Croatian Kuna.
  • Procurement of 2 additional Canadair CL-415 fire bombers and 5 amphibious Air Tractor AT-802A. Cost of program - 340 million Croatian Kuna. It has to be noted that these procurements were not planned and the funds were alocated from a surplus in the national budget.
  • Procurement of 2-3 medium-size cargo aircraft. The details of the program are not known yet but second-hand aircraft are more probable. Cost of program - unknown.
  • Procurement of Advanced short to medium range NATO SAM systems and modernization of existing Russian-made 9K38 Igla SAMs. Croatia needs 12 Short to medium range SAM batteries. Cost of program - 700-850 million Croatian Kuna.
  • Modern Radar network. New modern Radar network was put in to use in 2007 - AN/FPS-117 Radar network consisting of 5 radar stations across Croatia. Cost of program - 1,800 million Croatian Kuna, program was initiated in 1998 and paid for by Croatian MOD in 1999.
  • Additional programs are also being considered - additional utility, ASW, SAR and police helicopters.
  • The costs will total €1,157 million. That is $396 USD per citizen.

Aircraft inventory as of late 2008

Template:Standard table ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service[1] ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes |----- | JAS 39 Gripen ||  Sweden || fighter-interceptor || JAS-39 C || 1 || entered service recently |----- | Air Tractor AT-802 ||  United States || firefighting, coastal patrol || AT-802A/F FireBoss || 6 || entered service recently |----- | Antonov An-32 ||  Ukraine || tactical transport || An-32B || 2 || modernized in 2007 |----- | Bell 206 ||  United States || utility, training helicopter || 206B-3 || 8 || entered service in 1997 |----- | Bombardier Challenger 600 ||  Canada || VIP transport || CL-604 || 1 || government aircraft on civilian register |----- | Canadair CL-415 ||  Canada || firefighting || CL-415 || 4 || 2 more to enter service in 2009 |----- | Elbit Hermes 450 ||  Israel ||sea patrol, reconnaissance || Hermes 450 || 2 || probably more ordered |----- | Lola Utva 75 ||  Yugoslavia || basic trainer || UTVA 75 || 4 || due to be withdrawn in 2008 |----- | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Fishbed ||  Soviet Union || fighter/interceptor
trainer || MiG-21bisD
MiG-21UMD || 8
4 || modernized in 2003, due to be withdrawn in 2011 |----- | Mil Mi-8 Hip ||  Russia || transport helicopter || Mi-8T
Mi-8PS
Mi-8MTV-1 || 2
1
11 || lightly modernized and overhauled in 2005, most MTV-1s acquired new 1992-1995 |----- | Mil Mi-17 Hip-H ||  Russia|| transport, attack helicopter || Mi-171Sh || 10 || all delivered, at least 2 more planned |----- | Pilatus PC-9 ||  Switzerland || advanced trainer, light attack || PC-9M || 20 || entered service in 1998, awaiting modernization around 2010-2012 |----- | Piper PA-31 Navajo ||  United States || utility, transport || PA-31P || 1 || limited service |----- | Zlin 242 ||  Czech Republic || basic trainer || Z 242L Aerobatic || 5 || entered service in late 2007, more on option |}

Aircraft that have been retired since 1996

Divulje Helicopter airbase

Aviation History

Croatian aviation history goes back to World War II. During the war, much of the force's capacity was sent to the Eastern Front as the Croatian Air Force Legion (Croatian: Hrvatska zrakoplovna legija, German: Kroatische Luftwaffen Legion). This comprised of one fighter squadron equipped with Messerschmitt 109 fighters and one bomber squadron equipped with Dornier Do 17 bombers. The fighter squadron served in Russia as part of JG 52. Many of the unit's pilots became aces, including; Mato Dukovac, Cvitan Galić, Franjo Džal, and many more.[2] The Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia, the Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske (ZNDH) came into being as early as 19 April 1941, just nine days after the proclamation of the the Independent Croat State. Croatia had a large fleet of relatively modern aircraft during the Second World War usually of German origin, but also ex-Royal Yugoslav, Italian, French, British and Czech.[3] The fleet numbered several hundred aircraft, from training bi-planes to the latest Messerschmitt 109 fighters. All ZNDH aircraft captured at the end of World War II were incorporated into the Yugoslav People's Army inventory. On the Allied side, when the Partisan forces started forming their own air force squadrons (based on donated Allied planes, as well as captured ZNDH aircraft) towards the end of the war, a number of Croats with previous flying experience (NDH defectors, USAAF pilots of Yugoslav descent, pre-war civilian pilots), as well as previously untrained personnel, took part in the effort.

The Croatian Air Force as it is known now was established on December 12, 1991. At first, only small agricultural and transport planes were used to fight a far superior, Serb-led Yugoslav National Army that took almost all aircraft which, in fact, were a property of all ex-Yugoslav states. Fortunately, Croatia was able to acquire 3 MiG-21s (brought over by JNA defectors) by late 1992 when the first fighter squadron was formed. Soon, by evading the embargo on weapons, almost 40 MiG-21bis/UM fighters were bought. Around 25 were put into service while the rest served as a source for spare parts. Helicopter force was basically created during the war period by purchasing around 20 Mil Mi-8 transports and 10 Mi-24 gunships which were used to a devastating effect in 1995 during Operation Storm. After the war, many aircraft were withdrawn from service but also modern ones were obtained, notably 20 Pilatus PC-9 and 10 Bell 206B-3 in 1997. After 2003 almost the whole fleet was modernized or completely overhauled. Croatia is now expecting new helicopters and fighters to enter service in the near future, enabling the military to operate much needed up-to-date technology.

See also

Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia

References

  • Lisko, T. and Canak, D., Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo u Drugome Svejetskom Ratu (The Croatian Airforce in the Second World War) Zagreb, 1998 ISBN 953 97698 0 9.
  • Savic, D. and Ciglic, B. Croatian Aces of World War II Osprey Aircraft of the Aces - 49, Oxford, 2002 ISBN 1 84176 435 3.

Notes

  1. ^ "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15 2007.
  2. ^ Savic, D. and Ciglic, B. Croatian Aces of World War II Osprey Aircraft of the Aces - 49, Oxford, 2002
  3. ^ Lisko, T. and Canak, D., Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo u Drugome Svejetskom Ratu (The Croatian Airforce in the Second World War) Zagreb, 1998
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