The Croatian government adopted the Defence Ministry’s 2025 budget to procure TB2 Armed UAVs, Leopard 2A8 MBTs, and maintain the Rafale jet.
The Croatian government adopted the Ministry of Defence’s budget proposal 2025, which will increase by 17.36 per cent and amount to € 1.5 billion. The Croatian government made decisions regarding procurements by the Ministry of Defence, i.e., equipping and modernising the Croatian Army.
A budget was allocated to the Defence Ministry for the continuous maintenance of the Rafale multi-purpose fighter aircraft and procurement of TB2 UAV and Leopard 2A8 tanks. Vice President and Minister of Defence Ivan Anušić explained that continuous maintenance of Rafale aircraft and accompanying equipment will ensure the necessary degree of availability and operational capability to perform tasks.
Explaining the procurement of the Bayraktar unmanned aerial system, Minister Anušić pointed out that the experiences from recent conflicts show that the role and importance of reconnaissance and armed unmanned aerial systems are increasing in armed conflicts.
Croatia will acquire six armed UAVs. Minister Anušić pointed out that the Ministry of Defence has conducted a public procurement procedure, and the value of the contract is USD 73,906,377 without VAT. In addition to goods and services, the delivery of equipment valued at USD 2,022,514 is planned as a donation, which makes a deal worth $95 million. The agreement will include command and control stations, a training simulator, ground monitoring and control stations, and an initial set of replacement components suitable for 4,000 flying hours.
Minister Anušić stated that Croatia is ceding material resources to Ukraine, namely M-84 tanks and M-80 infantry fighting vehicles, together with the corresponding spare parts and ammunition, the total book value of which is EUR 144,800,000. “For the ceded material resources, the Federal Ministry of Defence of the Federal Republic of Germany will make a payment by November 30, 2024, to the state budget at the Ministry of Defence’s division, and the mentioned financial resources are intended for the purchase of Leopard 2A8 tanks for the needs of equipping the Croatian Army, while the remaining financial resources for procurement should be planned in the state budget at the Ministry of Defence’s division,” said Minister Anušić.
