During the meeting, Minister Anušić and General Grynkewich discussed the key takeaways from the NATO Summit in Ankara, the modernisation of the Croatian Armed Forces, the security situation in Southeast Europe, and continued support for Ukraine.

Minister Anušić emphasised that the United States is Croatia’s most important strategic partner in defence and security, highlighting that the U.S. government makes a significant contribution toward enhancing Croatia’s defence capabilities. He added that Croatia remains firmly committed to modernising and equipping the Croatian Armed Forces, as well as increasing defence spending.

Last year, Croatia allocated 2.10 per cent of its GDP to defence, with 34 per cent of that amount dedicated to modernisation and procurement. The country aims to increase its defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP by 2030 and to 3.5 per cent by 2035. Croatia has already reached – and even exceeded – the target of allocating 1.5 per cent of GDP to defence-related investments this year, currently reaching 1.89 per cent.

During the meeting, Minister Anušić placed particular emphasis on the importance of the international community’s presence in Southeast Europe, specifically within Kosovo.

“We consider the presence of international forces in Kosovo through the KFOR peace support operation to be the key to stability and security in this part of Europe,” Minister Anušić stated.

Addressing NATO’s recent announcement regarding adjustments to the scale of the KFOR mission, Minister Anušić noted that Croatia is interested in maintaining its current troop contribution to KFOR and, if necessary, increasing it. Croatia currently has 152 members of the Croatian Armed Forces deployed in the peace support operation. Under the mandate of the Croatian Parliament, this number may be increased to a maximum of 200 personnel for 2026.

Turning to the security situation in Croatia’s immediate neighbourhood, Minister Anušić once again warned that the Republic of Serbia possesses Chinese-made hypersonic missiles. He also recalled that Prime Minister Andrej Plenković had informed NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in writing several months ago about this offensive weapons system.

Over the past month, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General Alexus G. Grynkewich has been visiting countries across South-east Europe. He visited Croatia at the invitation of the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Tihomir Kundid.

During their meeting, General Grynkewich and Lieutenant General Kundid discussed regional stability, the modernisation plans of the Croatian Armed Forces, and NATO Capability Targets.

Objava Minister Anušić Meets with NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Grynkewich pojavila se prvi puta na MORH.

As part of the summit program, Minister Anušić attended today, on 7th July, the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum, which focused on the transatlantic defence industry, investments, and innovation.

Minister Anušić during the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum signed a Letter of Intent on cooperation to enhance strategic airlift capabilities through the use of Airbus A400M Atlas aircraft, together with the Defence Ministers of Belgium, Poland, Turkey, Spain, the United Kingdom and France.

Minister Anušić emphasized that Croatia will incur no obligations or costs in relation to this project until 2030, after which it will determine the nature and scope of its participation. Answering journalists’ questions, Minister Anušić also emphasized that Croatia will initially participate in the project as an Ally, potentially through specific arrangements with participating nations that operate Airbus A400M Atlas aircraft for rapid deployment of the troops and military equipment.

This initiative constitutes a NATO High Visibility Project (HVP), an instrument designed to accelerate development of the key Allied capabilities.

Specifically, the Republic of Croatia has adopted the NATO capability target for “Strategic Deployment,” which encompasses capabilities for the heavy and medium transport of troops and military equipment.

In accordance with the signed Letter of Intent, the Republic of Croatia gains the opportunity to participate in the work of the expert working group and to actively participate in shaping cooperation arrangements in line with national interests and priorities.

Minister Anušić highlighted that the Long-Term Development Plan of the Croatian Armed Forces identifies a requirement for a transport aircraft.
“With this, we will fulfil an obligation from the Long-Term Development Plan of the Croatian Armed Forces, ensuring that we—together with our allies—have a transport aircraft at our disposal,” Anušić said.

Speaking about the main messages of the NATO summit, Minister Anušić highlighted three key topics: the continuing trend of increased defence spending, the strengthening of the defence industry, and continued support for Ukraine.

“At the NATO Summit, Croatia will demonstrate a trend of rising defence spending—having reached 2.10% of the GDP for defence last year—and we are strengthening our domestic defence industry, which was also a central topic at today’s NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum; and, of course, we are continuing to support Ukraine in its efforts and struggle for independence and freedom.”

Minister Anušić: Croatia Exceeds 1.5% Target for Defence – Related Investments

For the first time, the Minister presented data showing that Croatia has met—and indeed exceeded—the NATO target of allocating 1.5% of GDP to defence-related investments.

“It is important to emphasize—and to inform the Croatian public for the first time—that while we committed to a total defence spending level of 5% of GDP, with 1.5% of that figure dedicated to specific defence-related investments, we have already allocated more than 1.5% to defence-linked projects within the civilian sector. Specifically, we have reached 1.89%,” Minister Anušić announced.

These investments largely focus on cooperation regarding military mobility—specifically transport infrastructure and logistics capabilities—as well as collaboration with civil protection services. They also encompass projects in healthcare, cyber capabilities, and critical infrastructure, along with general dual-use projects that strengthen national and societal resilience.

Objava Minister Anušić Signs Letter of Intent in Ankara on Cooperation to Enhance Strategic Airlift Capabilities pojavila se prvi puta na MORH.

Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia and Minister of Defence Ivan Anušić said that the successful conclusion of Exercise Combat Power 26 showcased the full spectrum of Croatian Armed Forces capabilities – from Croatian Navy operations in the waters surrounding the island of Žirje to today’s demonstration of Croatian Air Force, Croatian Army and unmanned systems capabilities at the “Eugen Kvaternik” military training area.

Among the key innovations introduced during this year’s exercise, Minister Anušić highlighted the first operational employment of the Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial system employing MAM-L laser-guided munitions.

“The Croatian Armed Forces are growing stronger, better equipped and better trained every day. We will continue on this path, while the Government of the Republic of Croatia will continue implementing its planned development and modernisation objectives to ensure that the Croatian Armed Forces achieve the capability levels required to fulfil Croatia’s commitments within NATO, including those confirmed at the Hague Summit,” Minister Anušić said.

The Minister of Defence of the Republic of Kosovo, Ejup Maqedonci, also stressed the importance of further developing the capabilities of the Croatian Armed Forces. He assessed that the exercise demonstrates the high level of development of the Croatian Armed Forces, particularly highlighting the integration of fire support as one of the most complex elements of modern military operations.

He emphasised that Croatia’s investment in the development of its Armed Forces contributes to peace, stability and security in the region and noted that Croatia and Kosovo continue to strengthen cooperation in the fields of defence, interoperability and the defence industry.

Speaking about the conduct of the exercise under demanding conditions, Commander of the Guards Armoured-Mechanised Brigade Brigadier General Željko Marinov said that its primary objective had been to enhance interoperability and develop and validate capabilities in cooperation with Allied forces.

“We fully achieved the objectives we had set, primarily the integration of manoeuvre forces, air and artillery support, and all other exercise components involving every branch of the Croatian Armed Forces. These demanding conditions represented our greatest challenge, but the motivation, commitment and adaptability of our personnel to the demands of the battlefield were evident throughout the successful execution of the exercise,” Brigadier General Marinov said.

Joint Offensive Operation at Slunj

The final demonstration featured a segment of a joint offensive operation involving, alongside the Croatian Armed Forces, the armed forces of Slovenia, Montenegro, Italy, Albania, Portugal, Kosovo and the United States, including personnel of the Minnesota National Guard, with whom Croatia is marking 30 years of successful bilateral defence cooperation this year.

At the same time, Exercise Combat Power 26 also incorporated activities conducted as part of the multinational military exercise Immediate Response, together with Romania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Georgia, further demonstrating the ability of Allied and partner forces to operate effectively together.

The offensive operation demonstrated during the exercise reflectedthe realities of the modern battlefield, where success depends on the integration of intelligence, reconnaissance, precision fires, manoeuvre, aviation, unmanned systems, and effective command and control across multiple domains.

Throughout the tactical demonstration, all activities were synchronised within a single operational framework.

Bayraktar Employs Laser-Guided Munitions for the First Time

The Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial system engaged a designated target employing MAM-L laser-guided munitions.

The capability to destroy targets at long ranges using MAM-L laser-guided munitions represents a new capability of the Croatian Armed Forces and marks another step in the integration of unmanned platforms across all service branches.

Rafale Aircraft Strike Ground Targets

Croatian Air Forces Rafale fighter aircraft conducted attack sorties against designated ground targets, employing their integrated 30 mm cannon to conduct precision strikes.

OH-58D Kiowa Warrior armed reconnaissance helicopters engaged targets using 70 mm Hydra rockets and 12.7 mm machine guns.

Special operations forces were inserted by UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter using the fast-rope technique.

FPV Drones Conduct Kinetic Attacks

FPV drones also demonstrated their capabilities to rapidly detect, identify and engage targets through kinetic attacks.

Special Operations Forces, Black Hawk, and Kiowa

During the extraction of special operations forces using the SPIES (Special Patrol Insertion/Extraction System) technique from a UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter, OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters provided continuous suppressive fire, securing the air corridorfor the extraction of reconnaissance elements.

The integration of reconnaissance, target acquisition, and precision fires makes the Kiowa Warrior a highly effective platform for supporting special operations and reconnaissance missions.

The Slovenian Armed Forces also demonstrated anti-armour operations employing the Spike missile system.

Patria and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles conducted a fire support mission, demonstrating precise fire while on the move.

The Minnesota National Guard, operating Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, together with Croatian mechanised infantry equipped with Patria armoured vehicles, also demonstrated their combined operational capabilities.

American Hercules and Croatian Rafales

After ground forces had successfully secured the objective and completed their mission, a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft from the Minnesota National Guard conducted a coordinated air resupply mission in support of ground forces.

Throughout the mission, the C-130 Hercules was provided with fighter escort by a pair of Croatian Air Force Rafale multirole fighter aircraft.

The final demonstration at the Slunj military training area was attended by the President of the Republic of Croatia and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Zoran Milanović; the Prime Minister’s Envoy, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Ivan Anušić; the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Kosovo, Ejup Maqedonci; the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament’s Envoy, Member of Parliament Stipan Šašlin; representatives of the Parliamentary Defence Committee; the Ambassador of the United States to Croatia, Nicole McGraw; representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces; the military diplomatic corps; and numerous other distingushed guests.

Objava Combat Power 26 Cultimates in Demonstration of Peak Combat Readiness at Slunj pojavila se prvi puta na MORH.

The Croatian Armed Forces and the Minnesota National Guard have successfully cooperated for three decades through the State Partnership Program. This year marks the 30th anniversary of that partnership.

Events marking this milestone are being held both in Minnesota and Croatia. As part of the anniversary activities, members of the Minnesota National Guard are also participating in the international joint military exercise Combat Power 26.

State Secretary Galić highlighted the long-standing and excellent cooperation, noting that it has made a significant contribution to the development of the capabilities of the Croatian Armed Forces.

“The United States is a strategic defence ally of the Republic of Croatia, and we highly appreciate the U.S. contribution to the development of Croatia’s defence capabilities. In this context, our partnership with the Minnesota National Guard represents a key component of that contribution. Our partnership will remain one of our priorities, with a focus on further expanding this outstanding cooperation,” State Secretary Galić said.

The Croatian Armed Forces and the Minnesota National Guard cooperate on numerous capability development and modernisation projects. The acquisition of Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and the modernisation of the Croatian Air Force through the procurement of UH-60 Black Hawk multi-purpose helicopters have further strengthened cooperation with the Minnesota National Guard, as these systems are also operated by the U.S. side.

The partnership also includes the development of military training areas in the Republic of Croatia, cyber capabilities, artillery, countermine capabilities, and water purification capabilities. Civil-military cooperation has also been enhanced through the involvement of the defence system in strengthening the resilience of society as a whole, in cooperation with participants in the Homeland Security System.

Members of the Minnesota National Guard regularly participate in military exercises conducted in Croatia.

Objava State Secretary Galić Meets with Major General Manke pojavila se prvi puta na MORH.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Ivan Anušić and Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Tihomir Kundid, observed the joint combat exercise showcasing the Croatian Armed Forces’ modern maritime capabilities.

The martime phase of Evercise Combat Power 26 at Žirje involved personnel of the Croatian Armed Forces operating Croatian Navy vessels, Croatian Air Force Rafale multirole fighter aircraft and helicopters, air defence systems, Croatian Army artillery units, and special operations forces from both the Croatian Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior.

Minister Anušić expressed his satisfaction with the successful conduct of this major international military exercise, noting that more than 3,000 troops from around ten NATO allied nations are participating.

“Today we witnessed the first phase of the exercise, where the Croatian Navy, Croatian Air Force, and Croatian Army conducted coordinated joint operatios against a common target, demonstrating their capabilities, equipment, and combat power. In today’s challenging security environment, exercises like this validate and further strengthen the capabilities of the Croatian Armed Forces, which remain the main pillar of Croatia’s security and peace,” Minister Anušić said.

RemarkableHit by the Mistral Air Defence System

Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Tihomir Kundid emphasised that the exercise was conducted according to a realistic operational scenario, demonstrating the full range of capabilities available to the Croatian Armed Forces in responding to potential maritime threats.

“Throughout the exercise, we witnessed highly effective employment of our newly acquired air defence systems alongside Rafale fighter aircraft operating jointly. We also demonstrated coordinated action with our special operations forces in carrying out our primary mission of protecting Croatia’s interests at sea,” General Kundid stated.

General Kundid particularly highlighted the performance of the short-range Mistral air defence system: “We witnessed a remarkable direct hit by a Mistral 3 missile against an aerial target. It is extremely rare for a missile to strike this type of aerial target simulator directly, considering its diameter is only 128 millimetres. It was truly a direct hit.”

He also underscored the Croatian Navy’s capabilities, noting that its naval infantry forces had been reinforced by Croatian Army units.

Special Operations Forces, Air Defence, Croatian Navy Vessels, Rafales and Black Hawks in Action at Sea

During the exercise, conducted under a realistic operational scenario, Special Operations Forces of the Croatian Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior carried out a visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operation, transferring assault teams from the Special Operations Command Maritime Group and the Ministry’s Special Police onto a hostile vessel before conducting its forcible boarding and capture.

The exercise then featured a demonstration of command post air defence using the BOV-3 20/3 self-propelled anti-aircraft system, followed by the air defence of the landing ship-minelayer DBM-82 Krka using the Mistral missile system.

The Croatian Army also conducted live-fire engagement of maritime surface targets with the PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer.

Croatian Navy personnel demonstrated engagement of surface targets at sea using the naval guns of missile boats and coastal patrol vessels.

The Croatian Air Force conducted live-fire attacks against maritime surface targets using the internal cannon of its Rafale multirole fighter aircraft.

Through these training activities at Žirje, members of the Croatian Armed Forces demonstrated a high level of interoperability, professionalism, and operational readiness during joint maritime operations.

Combat Power 26

The Combat Power 26 international joint military exercise is being conducted across military training areas throughout the Republic of Croatia. More than 3,000 members of the Croatian Armed Forces are participating, together with over 25 Croatian Navy vessels, more than 20 aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned aerial systems, numerous artillery and missile systems, combat and support vehicles, as well as approximately 500 personnel from allied and partner armed forces and representatives of other components of Croatia’s Homeland Security System.

Through the conduct of high-intensity joint combat operations demonstrating the Croatian Armed Forces’ overall combat capability, and through coordinated action with other components of the Homeland Security System, Exercise Combat Power 26 trains missions related to the deterrence and defence of Croatia’s national territory, fulfils obligations arising from the Croatian Armed Forces’ role within NATO’s deterrence and defence posture for the Euro-Atlantic area, and strengthens the resilience of Croatian society against a wide range of security threats.

Objava Combat Power 26 at Žirje – Croatian Armed Forces Demonstrate Joint Maritime Combat Operations pojavila se prvi puta na MORH.

“Defence spending is crucial, as are the commitments we undertook at the previous summit in The Hague. These include the minimum target of two per cent of GDP for defence, which Croatia has already achieved, as well as the broader agreement on continued support for Ukraine,” Minister Anušić stated after the meeting. He added that Croatia currently invests more than two per cent of GDP in defence, with plans to increase this to three per cent by 2030.

Minister Anušić also commented on the address delivered by the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth.

“I support the view that Europe must play a greater role and assume greaterresponsibility for its own security. In the past, Europe relied significantly more heavily on the United States, but it has now awakened and is developing its defence policy, strengthening its defence industry, and investing broadely in measures that make Europe safer and more autonomous. Croatia is following this European momentum, and the remarks that were made were certainly not directed at Croatia,” the Minister said.

Regarding a possible reduction of the U.S. military presence in Europe, Minister Anušić stated that the United States had informed European partners in advance of its intention to adjust its strategic focus, thereby allowing suffcient time for preparation.

Minister Anušić is also participating today in a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG). Croatia remains firmly committed to providing sustained and resolute support to Ukraine.

Objava Minister Anušić: Europe Increases Security and Strengthens Defence Industry pojavila se prvi puta na MORH.