Rear Admiral (LH) Damir Dojkić is the new Commander of the Croatian Navy

On 12 January 2024, the handover ceremony between the former Commander of the Croatian Navy Rear Admiral Ivo Raffanelli and the newly appointed Commander, a former Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander of the Croatian Navy, Rear Admiral (LH) Damir Dojkić, was held in the Major General Ivo Jelić CAF Support Unit in Split.

The handover ceremony was attended by the Commander-in-Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces and President of the Republic of Croatia, Zoran Milanović; Admiral Robert Hranj, Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces General Staff; Ivica Olujić, Advisor to the President on Defence Issues; State Secretary Branko Hrg, Envoy of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence; Marijan Mareković, the President’s Special Advisor for Homeland War Veterans; Damir Krstičević, Special Advisor for Defence Issues; Chief Defence Inspector Lieutenant General Drago Matanović, and commanders and representatives of the CAF services. Former commanders and representatives from Split-Dalmatia County and the city of Split were also present.

In his speech, the former Croatian Navy Commander, Rear Admiral Ivo Raffanelli, who assumed command of the Croatian Navy on 1 January 2018, outlined some of the Croatian Navy’s most notable recent accomplishments as well as projects that need to be completed in order for our Navy to be prepared for the future.

He thanked everyone for their assistance and cooperation and expressed his happiness that he was handing over the helm to his long-time close associate. Rear Admiral Raffanelli concluded by saying, “The Croatian Navy was my second love, and I hope that it will continue to develop in the direction that our homeland needs.”

Rear Admiral Dojkić stated that his appointment to this duty was the crown of his military career and the pinnacle of his professional development as a military and naval officer. Recalling his initial assignment as a member of the 1st Diversion Squad of the Croatian Navy, he expressed his gratitude to Commander Tonči Vidan and Rear Admiral Predrag Stipanović, stating that they had the biggest impact on his professional development.

He said that he assumed the post with great responsibility and that he is confident that the Croatian Navy has the skills and knowledge necessary to complete all of the given tasks. He highlighted that the Croatian Navy is a key instrument of the Republic of Croatia’s military and naval power and that it is impossible to respond to contemporary security challenges without modernising and equipping it with cutting-edge combat systems. His attention will therefore be directed towards completing the projects of building a number of coastal patrol ships, equipping them with sea surveillance systems, new anti-ship missile systems, and a new multipurpose ship, a corvette with the full range of naval combat capabilities.

“The foundations of authority are responsibility, mutual trust, and setting an example for others.” Rear Admiral Dojkić advised the commanders that they should lead their subordinates with an enthusiastic attitude, honesty, and consistency, and that they should always be willing to share their knowledge. “This will remain my professional motto, and I will insist on it, work tirelessly every moment, and nurture that spirit, which, along with patriotism, was the key to the Croatian Armed Forces’ success in the Homeland War. Above all, make sure you lead by example, as it is the only right way to gain people’s trust.”

The Chief of CAF General Staff, Admiral Hranj, thanked Rear Admiral Raffanelli for his honourable and dedicated service and stated that he had done more than anyone to raise awareness of the need for the Croatian Navy to be developed and modernised. He also expressed the hope that his successor would carry on in the former commander’s footsteps. Admiral Hranj urged the newly appointed commander to carry out the modernisation projects he had initiated, remarking that he was certain he would devote all of his expertise and efforts to them.

The President of the Republic of Croatia, Milanović, thanked the outgoing commander for his outstanding service and expressed confidence that his successor would follow in his footsteps. “The defence of Croatia and our sea is the most important task of the Croatian Navy, as our sea is our identity. Let us, therefore, carry on working on it!” said Mr. Milanović.

Rear Admiral Damir Dojkić was born on 6 May 1966, in Tivat, Montenegro. He obtained a degree in maritime transport engineering from the Naval Military Academy in Split in 1988. He joined the Croatian Armed Forces on the 1st of October 1991 as a Homeland War volunteer and member of the 1st Diversion Squad of the Croatian Navy and the “S” Platoon of the 114th Brigade.

During his career, he held the following posts: Deputy Commander of the 2nd Company of the 53rd Battalion of the Naval Landing Infantry, Deputy Commander of the torpedo boat TB-51 Vukovar, Commander of the patrol boat-minelayer OBM-41 Dubrovnik, Commander of the missile boats RTOP-21 Šibenik and RTOP-11 Kralj Petar Krešimir IV, Deputy Commander of the Surface Operations Division, Head of the Defence Planning Section, Head of the Section for International Military Cooperation, Head of the Department for International Military Cooperation and Head of the Department for Defence Planning and International Military Cooperation at the Croatian Navy Command, Commander of the Surface Operations Division in the Croatian Navy Flotilla, Navy Flotilla Chief of Staff and Commander of the Croatian Navy Flotilla.

Since 2018, he held the position of Chief of Staff and the Deputy Commander of the Croatian Navy.

He completed the Command and Staff School at the Dr. Franjo Tuđman Croatian Defence Academy in 2010 and the War College in 2015.

Rear Admiral Dojkić is the chief editor and author of doctrinal publications. He obtained the title of lecturer in the interdisciplinary scientific field of military and defence science.

He was decorated with the Homeland War Commemorative Decoration, the Homeland Gratitude Commemorative Decoration, the Order of the Croatian Trefoil, and the Order of Ban Jelačić. He was also awarded the Gold Medal of the Croatian Army.