20 Godina Oružanih Snaga Republike Hrvatske Vojska Koja Je Ispunila Najsvetiju Zadaću - Obranila I Oslobodila Domovinu

20 godina Oružanih snaga Republike Hrvatske Vojska koja je ispunila najsvetiju zadaću - obranila i oslobodila domovinu

Hrvatska vojska, stvorena ni iz čega, ispunila je onaj temeljni i najvažniji cilj svake vojne organizacije - zaustaviti agresora, obraniti i osloboditi svoju zemlju te očuvati njezinu suverenost. U njezino stasanje i snaženje ugrađene su mnogobrojne žrtve, no možemo biti ponosni na ostvareno, veliku pobjedu male vojske koja je dovela do ostvarenja stoljetnih hrvatskih težnji i slobodne domovine. Od zemlje primateljice mirovnih snaga postali smo zemlja i vojska koja ulaže velike napore u izgradnji mira u cijelom svijetu sudjelujući u brojnim mirovnim misijama i operacijama. Postali smo zahvaljujući samo vlastitim naporima i pobjedama, onim u Domovinskom ratu i onim koje je pred nas stavilo novo moderno vrijeme, dio najmoćnijeg vojno-političkog saveza u svijetu i danas kao jedna od 28 članica NATO-a ponosno stupamo uz bok najmoćnijih vojski svijeta. Put na koji se krenulo iz Kranjčevićeve ulice bio je put pobjede i put stasanja jedne mlade vojske danas izrasle u moderne, respektabilne i profesionalne oružane snage. Na samom početku ostvarivanja svog stoljetnog sna, samostalne i suverene države, hrvatski se narod našao na udaru velikosrpske politike, koja je od 1991. do 1995. godine zaprijetila elementarnom op- stanku, ne samo mlade države već i hrvatskog bića u cjelini. Bilo je to vrijeme u kojem je gotovo ni iz čega trebalo stvarati temelje mlade države...

20 Years of the Croatian Armed ForceS The army which completed the most sacred of all tasks - defending and freeing the Homeland

The Croatian Army, created out of nothing, has met the basic and most important goal of every military organisation - stopping the aggressor, defending and freeing its homeland, and conserving its homeland’s sovereignty. There were many victims over the course of its coming of age and strengthening, but we can be proud of what was accomplished: a great victory for a small army that realised ancient Croatian aspirations and gave us a free country. From a country that was host to peacekeeping forces, we became a country and army that invests great effort in building peace throughout the whole world by participating in numerous peacekeeping missions and operations. Thanks to our own efforts and victories, those in the Homeland War and those put before us by modern times, we have become part of the most powerful military-political alliance in the world, and today, as one of 28 members of NATO, we proudly stand alongside the world’s most powerful armies. The journey which began on Kranjčevićeva Street was the path towards victory and a coming of age journey for a young army which today has grown into modern, respectable and professional armed forces. At the beginning of realizing its centuries-old dream of an independent and sovereign state, the Croati- an population came under the fire of the politics of Greater Serbia, which from 1991 to 1995 threate- ned the elementary survival not only of the young country, but of Croatian beings altogether. It was a time in which the foundations of a young country had to be created from virtually nothing... Neprijateljski zrakoplovi raketirali su u listopadu 1991. Banske dvore dok je u njima predsjednik RH dr. Franjo Tuđman održavao sastanak

Enemy aircraft rocketed Ban’s Palace in October 1991 while Croatian President Franjo Tudjman held a meeting there

Pripremila Vesna Pintarić, foto arhiva HVG-a

V eć sredinom 1990. vojni vrh tadašnje zajedničke države bio je spreman rušiti demokratski iza- branu hrvatsku vlast. Hrvatsku su velikosrpski ideolozi optuživali za ugrožavanje srpstva, vodeći specijalni rat organiziranjem tzv. mitinga istine i naposljetku stvaranjem tzv. Srpske autonomne oblasti - tzv. SAO Krajine u Hrvatskoj. Hrvatska će u tom vremenu biti razoružana. Naime, Dana 5. kolovoza 1990. u Školskom centru MUP-a RH u Zagrebu počela je iz skladišta Teritorijalne obrane (TO) tadašnje SR izobrazba gotovo 1700 kandidata za hrvatske redarstvenike, a nedugo za- Hrvatske protuzakonito je i bez znanja legitimnih tim osnivaju se i prve specijalne postrojbe - Antiteroristička jedinica Lučko vlasti oduzeto naoružanje za 250 tisuća pripadnika te postrojbe za posebne namjene MUP-a RH i to Tuškanac, Rakitje, Valban- TO. Istodobno se nižu srpske provokacije, zaprečava- don, Kumrovec, Pionirski Grad, Sljeme, Vinica (Ivanec) i Erdut s oko 4500- ju prometnice... bio je to početak “balvan revolucije”. 5000 pripadnika. Do kraja 1990. godine MUP je imao 45 tisuća pripadnika. Sukobi postaju sve širi i opasniji te su ubrzo prerasli u krvavi pir neslućenih razmjera. Napadi na hrvatsku policiju postaju sve češći, na- Hrvatskoj je već sredinom 1990. protuzakonito oduzeto naoružanje padaju se policijske stanice, a prvi veći sukob do- teritorijalne obrane, a istodobno se nižu provokacije, zaprečavaju godio se u Nacionalnom parku Plitvička jezera koji prometnice... okupiraju paravojne srpske postrojbe. Hrvatska je specijalna policija intervenirala i odbacila teroriste te uspostavila nadzor nad parkom, a ta epizoda Do- movinskog rata ostala je zabilježena u najnovijoj hrvatskoj povijesti kao Krvavi Uskrs. Naime, tijekom akcije poginuo je hrvatski policajac Josip Jović, prva žrtva velikosrpske pobune u Hrvatskoj. Nedugo za- tim dogodilo se i stravično stradanje dvanaestorice hrvatskih redarstvenika u Borovu Selu, ubijenih iz zasjede i na najokrutniji način. Nastavlja se progon hrvatskog stanovništva, a postrojbe JNA otvoreno se stavljaju na stranu pobunje- nika. Bilo je više nego očito da pobunjenici na sve načine pokušavaju destabilizirati novoizabrano hrvatsko demokratsko vodstvo koje je osim političkih mjera počelo poduzimati konkretne korake za obranu demokratski izabranih institucija.

4 20 godina Oružanih snaga Republike Hrvatske Hrvatski sabor 25. lipnja 1991. usvaja između ostalog i Deklaraciju o uspostavi suverene i samostalne Republike Hrvatske

On June 25th 1991, among other things, a declaration on the establishment of a sovereign and independent Croatian Republic was adopted

By Vesna Pintarić and HVG Photo Archives

As early on as the mid-1990’s, the leadership of the then-joint state was ready to destroy the democratically elected Croatian government. Greater Serbia ideologists accused Croatia of en- dangering Serbhood, leading a special war by organising so-called truth meetings and by creating the so-called Serbian Autonomous Region (SAO) in Krajina in Croatia. Croatia at that time At the same, time there were Serbian provocations, road blocks... It was was unarmed. Out of the storage of the Territo- the beginning of the Log Revolution. Conflicts became more widespread rial Defence (TO) of the then Socialist Republic of and dangerous and soon turned into bloodbaths of unimaginable propor- Croatia, authorities illegally and secretly confisca- tions. Assaults on Croatian police became more frequent, police stations ted weapons from 250 thousand members of the were attacked, and the first major clash occurred in the PlitviceL akes Territorial Defence. National Park, which was occupied by Serbian paramilitary units. Croati- an special police intervened, did away with the terrorists and established supervision over the park, and that episode of the Homeland War was By mid-1990, weapons were illegally seized from Croatia’s noted in most recent Croatian history as Bloody Easter. territorial defence; there was also a series of provocations, Namely, during that action, the first victim of the Greater Serbia rebelli- roadblocks... on, Croatian police officer Josip Jović, was killed. Not long after, there was the horrific case of the twelve policemen that were killed in an ambush in the cruellest possible way in Borovo Selo. The persecution of the Cro- atian population continued, and units from the JNA openly sided with the rebels. It was more than obvious that the rebels were trying to de- stabilise the newly elected Croatian democratic leadership, which also began taking more concrete measures to defend democratically elected institutions along with its political measures. On August 5th, 1990 in the MUP’s School Centre of the Republic of Cro- atia in Zagreb, the training of nearly 1700 police officer candidates -be gan, and shortly after the first special units were established – theL učko Anti-Terrorist Unit and as well as Special Tasks units of Croatia’s MUP more specifically its Tuškanac,R akitje, Valbandon, Kumrovec, Pionirski Grad, Sljeme, Vinica (Ivanec) and Erdut units with round 4500 to 5000 members.. By the end of 1990, the MUP had 45 000 members.

Napadi na hrvatsku policiju sve su češći, a prvi veći sukob dogodio se u nacionalnom parku Plitvička jezera u ožujku 1991.

Attacks on Croatian police were more frequent, and the first major conflict occurred in the Plitvice Lakes National Park in March 1991

20 Years of the Croatian Armed Forces 5 Dana 17. travnja 1991. donesen je Zakon o izmjenama i dopunama Zakona o unutar- Prve osnovane brigade ZNG-a njim poslovima, na temelju kojeg je donije- svečanu prisegu domovini položili ta Odluka o ustrojstvu Zbora narodne garde su 28. svibnja 1991. (ZNG-a), prve profesionalne oružane postrojbe The National Guard’s first establis- s obrambenim i redarstvenim zadaćama. Prve hed brigade took their solemn oath osnovane brigade ZNG-a su svečanu prisegu to the Homeland on May 28th 1991 hrvatskoj domovini položile povijesnog 28. svibnja 1991. kad je održan i svečani mimohod na stadionu NK “Zagreb” u Kranjčevićevoj ulici. Taj datum danas Oružane snage RH sla- ve kao datum svog utemeljenja. Legendarne hrvatske gardijske brigade - prva Tigrovi, druga Gromovi, treća Kune, četvr- ta Pauci, te poslije ustrojene peta Sokolovi, sedma Pume, osma (lako-jurišna) Orlovi i de- veta Vukovi, uz specijalne postrojbe MUP-a i MORH-a podnijele su glavni teret u obrani i oslobađanju Republike Hrvatske.

Na stadionu NK Zagreb u Kranjčevićevoj ulici održan je svečani mimohod prvih postrojbi Hrvatske vojske

At the NK Zagreb on Kranjčevićeva street, the Croatian Army’s first unit held its parade

6 20 godina Oružanih snaga Republike Hrvatske On April 17th, 1991, the Law on Amendments to the Law on Internal Affairs, which helped bring about the Decree of Formation of the Croatian National Guard (ZNG), the first professional armed units with defence and training duties was instilled. The ZNG’s first established brigades took their solemn oaths to the Croatian homeland on the historic day of May 28th, 1991, when there was also a for- mal parade held at the NK “Zagreb” stadium on Kranjčevićeva street. The Croatian Armed Forces now celebrates that day as the day of its establishment. Croatia’s legendary brigades - 1st Tigers, 2nd Thunder, 3rd Martens, 4th Spiders, and the later-established 5th Falcons, 7th Pumas, 8th (easy-assault) Eagles and 9th Wolves, along with the MUP’s and MOHR’s Special Units took charge of defending and liberating the Republic of Croatia.

Smotru postrojbi ZNG-a obavio je predsjednik RH dr. Franjo Tuđman

President Franjo Tuđman leads troops from the Croatian National Guard

20 Years of the Croatian Armed Forces 7 U ljeto 1991. istočna Hrvatska našla se pod vrlo snažnim udarom srpskih ekstremista. Agresorski cilj je bio ovladati Osijekom, Vukovarom, Vinkovcima, Đakovom i Našicama. Razina agresije raste - potkraj lipnja tenkovi JNA divljaju ulicama Osijeka, jake oklopno motorizirane snage JNA početkom srpnja ulaze u Baranju, neprijatelj napada Osijek, spaljuje selo Ćelije, vode se borbe za Tenju i Laslo- koncentracijske logore, dok je civilnih žrtava i mnogo više. vo, neprijatelj zauzima Dalj, Aljmaš i Erdut… Do kraja Uz pripadnike legendarne vukovarske 204. brigade HV-a u obrani Vuko- kolovoza gotovo je cijela Baranja okupirana. Ubrza- vara sudjelovali su i hrvatski branitelji pristigli iz svih krajeva RH, te iz no se ustrojavaju zapovjedništva i postrojbe HV-a na dijaspore. Zahvaljujući herojskoj obrani vukovarskih branitelja, koja se ugroženim područjima i počinju pripreme za obranu. zbog omjera snaga u odnosu na agresora smatra svojevrsnim fenome- Obruč oko danas legendarnog grada heroja Vukovara nom i jednim od rijetkih primjera u svjetskoj vojnoj povijesti, u tri mjese- sve se više stezao, a hrvatski branitelji pružaju heroj- ca žestokih borbi i stradavanja Vukovara stvoreni su preduvjeti za obranu ski otpor. No unatoč nadljudskim naporima branite- ostatka Hrvatske. lja, 18. studenoga 1991. potpuno razrušen i uništen Vukovar gubi svoju posljednju bitku. Kalvarija vukovarskih branitelja zarobljenih nakon okupacije grada nastavlja se u srpskim logorima iz kojih se mnogi nisu vratili. Ranjeni hrvatski branitelji iz vukovarske bolnice, njih oko 260, odvedeno je na obližnje poljo- privredno dobro Ovčara. Do danas je 200 posmrtnih ostataka ekshumirano na Ovčari iz masovne grobni- ce. U bitci za Vukovar hrvatski branitelji su imali oko 600 poginulih, oko 1500 osoba odvedeno je u srpske

Neprijateljski tenk uništava civilni automobil u Osijeku 27. lipnja 1991. kako bi zastrašio civilno stanovništvo

An enemy tank destroyed a civilian car in Osijek on June 27th 1991 in order to terrify civilians

Vodotoranj u Vukovaru The Water tower in bio je jedna od najčešćih Vukovar was one of the meta naprijateljskog most frequent targets of topništva the enemy’s artillery

8 20 godina Oružanih snaga Republike Hrvatske Neprijatelj je tijekom tromje- sečne okupacije potpuno razorio Vukovar čiji su branitelji pružali herojski otpor do 18. studenog 1991. kada je u grad ušla nepri- jateljska vojska During its three-month occupation, the enemy completely destroyed Vukovar, whose defenders offered a heroic resistance on November 18th 1991, when the enemy’s army entered the city

In the Summer of 1991, Eastern Croatia came under a very strong attack by Serbian extremists. The aggressor’s goal was to gain control of Osijek, Vinkovci, Đakovo and Našice. The level of ag- gressions rose – at the end of June, the JNA’s tanks rampaged through the streets of Osijek, the JNA’s armoured motorized vehicles entered Baranj at the beginning of July, the enemy attacked Osijek, Along with members of the legendary 204th Vukovar brigade, Croatian burned down the village of Ćelije, there was a battle soldiers from all parts of the country and soldiers from the diaspora also for Tenja and Laslovo, the enemy took Dalj, Aljmaš participated in the defence of Vukovar. Thanks to the heroic defence of and Erdut... By the end of August, all of Baranja was the Vukovar soldiers, which in terms of the ratio of forces to the aggre- occupied. Command and units of the Croatian Army ssor is considered a kind of phenomenon and a rare example in world mi- were rapidly established and began defence prepa- litary history, the prerequisites for the defence of the rest of Croatia were rations. created in the three months of fierce fighting and casualties in Vukovar. The pocket around the legendary City of Heroes, Vukovar, was getting tighter and Croatian soldiers provided heroic resistance. But despite the soldier’s superhuman efforts, on November 18th, 1991, the completely devastated and destroyed Vukovar lost its last battle. The cavalry of Vukovar soldiers that was captured after the city was occupied was brought to Serbian concentration camps, from which many never returned. Wounded Croatian soldiers from the Vukovar hospital, about 260 of them, were taken to the nearby Ovčara farm. To date, the remains of 200 people have been exhumed from the Ovčara mass grave. In the battle for Vukovar, the Croatian soldiers had 600 of their men killed, 1500 of them had been taken to Serbian concentration camps, while the civilian casualties were even greater.

20 Years of the Croatian Armed Forces 9 U zapadnoj Slavoniji neprijatelj napada iz nekoliko smjerova - borbe u Okučanima počele su sredinom kolovoza 1991., a neprijateljske snage napadaju i na novogradiš- kom području. Pripadnici 1. gardijske brigade ZNG-a u to su vrijeme na ovom području bili glavna obrambena i na- padna snaga Hrvatske vojske. Sustavnim organiziranjem obrane hrvatske snage stabilizirale su zapadnoslavonsko bojište spriječivši neprijatelja u naumu da presiječe Hr- vatsku na smjeru Okučani - Virovitica. Hrvatske postrojbe poduzimaju u to vrijeme i napadne operacije u zapadnoj Slavoniji i na Bilogori, Orkan-91 i Otkos-10, Papuk-91, u svrhu oslobađanja okupiranih po- dručja tadašnjih općina Grubišno Polje, Virovitica, Daru- var, Pakrac, Podravska Slatina, Požega, Nova Gradiška i Novska. Bile su to prve napadno-oslobodilačke operacije Hrvatske vojske i policije u Domovinskom ratu a važne su zbog toga što je njihova uspješna provedba potpuno srušila ideju o zapadnoj granici “Velike Srbije” na crti Viro- vitica- Karlovac-Karlobag. U oslobodilačkim operacijama tijekom listopada, studenoga i prosinca 1991. hrvatske su postrojbe oslobodile 2275 četvornih kilometara teritorija zapadne Slavonije, što je po opsegu, nakon “Oluje”, naj- veća oslobodilačka operacija Domovinskog rata. Kad se uzme u obzir da su ove operacije provele hrvatske oruža- ne snage u nastajanju, još je izraženije njihovo značenje i doprinos u ukupnoj pobjedi. Hrvatske snage na tom po- dručju bile su u punom oslobodilačkom zamahu sve do 2. siječnja 1992. kada je sklopljen Sarajevski sporazum, a pod neprijateljskim je nadzorom ostalo oko 600 km2 za- padno-slavonskog teritorija kod Okučana.

10 20 godina Oružanih snaga Republike Hrvatske U zapadnoj Slavoniji neprijatelj je napadao iz nekoliko smjerova, a osobito su se žestoke borbe vodile na novogradiškom području. No, unatoč tome hrvatske postrojbe u to vrijeme poduzimaju nekoliko akcija ORKAN – 91 i OTKOS – 10 s ciljem oslobađanja okupiranih područja

In Western Slavonia, the enemy was attacking from several directions, and the battle waged in the Nova Gradiška area was especially fierce. Despite this, at that time Croatian troops undertook the ORKAN - 91 and OTKOS - 10 offensive actions in order to release occupied territories

After Vukovar, the enemy headed for Osijek, but due to the exceptional efforts of the soldiers, the Greater Serbian campaign ended unsuccessfully. The aggressor tried to achieve the plan of re- aching the boundaries of the fictional “Greater Serbia” on other Croatian fronts as well. In western Slavonia the enemy attacked from several directions – fighting in Okučani began in Mid-August land War. When the fact that these operations were carried out by a of 1991, and enemy forces also attacked the Nova young Croatian armed forces in the making is taken into consideration, Gradiška area. Members of the first Guard’s Brigade their relevance and contribution to the overall victory is even more proof the ZNG at that time were the main offensive and nounced. Croatian forces in the area were in full liberation swing until defensive forces of the Croatian Army in that area. January 2nd 1992 when the Sarajevo Accord was concluded and when The Systematic organisation of the Croatian Force’s about 600 km2 of western Slavonian territory near Okučani was still un- defence stabilised the western-Slavonian battlefield, der enemy control. thwarting the enemy’s plan to divide Croatia in the Okučani-Virovitica direction. Croatian troops at that time undertook a number of offensive actions in western Slavonia at Bilogori, Orkan-91 and Otkos-10, Papuk-91 with the goal of liberating the occupied areas of the then-Municipal- ity of Grubišno Polje, of Virovitica, Daruvar, Pakrac, Podravska Slatina, Požega, Nova Gradiška and Novs- ka. Those were the Croatian Army’s and police’s first offensive-liberation operations in the war and they are significant because their successful implementation definitely destroyed the idea of the western border of “Greater Serbia” being on the Virovitica- Karlovac-Karlobag line. During the liberation operations which took place during October, November and December of 1991, Croatian troops liberated 2275 square kilometres of territory in Western Sla- vonia, which, in scope, after “Operation Storm”, was the highest liberation operation during the Home-

Pripadnik 1. gardijske brigade Tigrova u Starom Grabovcu na prvoj crti bojišta

A member of the Tigers 1st Guards’ Brigade in Stari Grabovac on the front lines

20 Years of the Croatian Armed Forces 11 U uvjetima koje je nametnula međunarodna zajednica (embargo na uvoz oružja) te pod udarom agresorskih ve- likosrpskih snaga i JNA, hrvatsko vrhovništvo zapovijeda blokadu vojarni JNA i napad na te objekte u svrhu njihova zauzimanja i dolaska do prijeko potrebnog oružja. Od 13. rujna do 7. listopada 1991. osvojeno je 68 objekata JNA: 39 vojarni i skladišta te 26 drugih objekata, među njima dva središta veze i jedna raketna baza. U sklopu cijele rujanske operacije zauzimanja vojarni, 32 korpus JNA u cijelosti je razoružan, a djelomično 10. zagrebački i 13. riječki, kao i zrakoplovne i mornaričke snage. Najvažniji objekti JNA, osvojeni tih dana su vojarne i skladišta u Va- raždinu, Bjelovaru, Delnicama, Žrnovnica u Splitu, Male Bare u Pločama, te vojarne u Zagrebu: Duboki Jarak, Sa- mobor i Velika Buna. Ratni je plijen bio: više od 230 tenkova, oko 400 većih topova, deseci tisuća pušaka, nekoliko milijuna komada streljiva itd. Time su znatno povećani oružani kapaciteti hrvatskih oružanih snaga na cijelom području Republike Hrvatske te su stvoreni preduvjeti za naoružavanje HV-a i za njezino ubrzano narastanje u oru- žanu snagu koja je uspješno obranila državu Hrvatsku.

12 20 godina Oružanih snaga Republike Hrvatske U Zagrebu je u drugoj polovici rujna 1991. Hrvatska vojska preuzela 68 objekata JNA

In the second half of September 1991, the Croatian Army took over 68 YNA buildings in Zagreb

Under the conditions imposed by the international community (an arms embargo) and under the impact of Greater Serbian aggressor forces and the JNA, Croatian headquarters commanded a blockade of the JNA barracks and an attack on those facilities with the aim of taking them over and obtaining much-needed weapons. Between September 13th and October 7th 1991, 68 of the JNA’s facilities were taken over: 39 barracks and warehouses, and 26 other buildings, including two signal cen- tres and a missile base. Over the course of taking over the barracks that September, 32 JNA Corps were completely disarmed, as were a part of the 10th Zagreb and the 13th Rijeka Corps, as well air and naval forces. The most important of the JNA’s facilities, taken over those days were the barracks and warehouses in Varaždin, Bjelovar, Del- nice, Žrnovnica in Split, Male Bare in Ploče and the barracks in Zagreb: Duboki Jarak, Samobor and Velika Buna. The spoils of war included: more than 230 tanks, about 400 large cannons, tens of thousands of rifles, several million rounds of ammunition, etc. These effectives significantly increased the armed capacity of the Croatian Armed Forces on the whole Croatian territory and created the preconditions for the arming of the Croatian Army and for its rapid growth within Armed Forces that successfully defended Croatia.

20 Years of the Croatian Armed Forces 13 Nakon prve etape rata od srpnja do prosinca 1991. uspostavom crta obrane nastalo je sedam bojišta: - Istočnoslavonsko bojište (1.OZ Osijek) - Zapadnoslavonsko bojište (2.OZ Bjelovar) - Banovinsko-pokupsko bojište (3.OZ Zagreb) - Karlovačko-kordunsko bojište (4. OZ Zagreb) - Ličko bojište (5. OZ Karlovac) - Sjevernodalmatinsko bojište (6.OZ Split) - Južnodalmatinsko bojište (6.OZ Split)

Na sedam bojišta nastalih potkraj 1991. napadnuta je 41 od kovima da iziđu iz vojarni i zaposjednu položaje. JNA i pobu- 100 općina Hrvatske. Od toga je potpuno okupirana njih 13 njenici su u srpnju 1991. ovladali Ljubovom i prometnicom i to: dvije na Istočnoslavonskom, tri na Banovinsko-pokup- Lički Osik-Bunić. skom, tri na Karlovačko-kordunskom, tri na Ličkom i dvije na Sjevrnodalmatinskom bojištu. Regija Dalmacija se dijeli na sjevernu, srednju i južnu Dal- maciju. U svom sastavu 1991. je imala 24 općine, od čega Istočnoslavonsko bojište je obuhvaćalo sedam općina: su tri općine bile s većinskim srpskim stanovništvom (Knin, Beli Manastir, Osijek, Vukovar, Vinkovce, Županju, Valpovo i Benkovac i Obrovac). Najveća po broju stanovnika je bila op- Đakovo. Pod okupacijom su ostale općine Beli Manastir i Vu- ćina Zadar, a najmanja općina Obrovac. Sjevernodalmatinsko kovar te dijelovi općina Osijek i Vinkovci. bojište se sastojalo od Zadarsko-obrovačke, Šibenske i Sinjske bojišnice Na ovom području je i stvoreno žarište pobune u Na zapadnoslavonskom bojištu rat se vodio na prostoru gradovima Dalmatinske zagore: Kninu, Obrovcu, Benkovcu i devet općina: Pakrac, Nova Gradiška, Novska, Daruvar, Požega, Gračacu te je uspostavljena tzv. SAO Krajina. Grubišno Polje, Virovitica i Slatina. U ovom prostoru jedina op- ćina s većinskim srpskim stanovništvom je bila općina Pakrac. Južna Dalmacija je prostor koji se gotovo prostire od Nere- tve do rta Oštro. Nositelj agresije na ovaj najjužniji dio 1991. Na Banovinsko-pokupskom bojištu rat se vodio na pro- su bili JNA, TO Srbije i CG te BiH potpomognut raznim pa- storu šest općina: Sisak, Petrinja, Hrvatska Kostajnica, Glina, ravojnim postrojbama. Protivnik je raspolagao s više od 10. Dvor na Uni, Velika Gorica. Od napadnutih su potpuno okupi- 000 ljudi, imao je oko 100 tenkova, 50 BVP-a, oko 120 vr- rane općine Glina, Dvor na Uni i Kostajnica. Na prostoru opći- sta topničkog oružja te oko 100 zrakoplova. Cilj neprijatelja na Banovine stanovništvo srpske narodnosti bilo je većinsko, je bio ovladati ovim najjužnijim djelom Hrvatske. Glavne su dok je u općini Sisak apsolutnu većinu činilo hrvatsko stanov- snage bile skoncentrirane u zahvatu komunikacije Trebinje- ništvo. Na okupiranom teritoriju prije 1991. je živjelo oko 50 Ljubovo-Dubrovnik, pomoćne na smjeru Herceg Novi-Čilipi- 000 Srba i oko 30 000 Hrvata. Cavtat-Kupari-Dubrovnik. Istodobno je napad podupiran s dva taktička smjera iz Popova polja. Konavle 24. rujna 1991. napa- Na Karlovačko-kordunskom bojištu rat se vodio na daju crnogorski rezervisti. Dubrovnik ostaje u neprijateljskom prostoru šest općina: Slunj, Vojnić, Vrginmost, Karlovac, Duga okruženju do 26. lipnja 1992. U blokadi je bio sedam mjeseci Resa i Ogulin. Potpuno su okupirani Slunj, Vojnić i Vrginmost. i 21 dan. U prvoj polovici listopada 1991. pobunjenici i JNA izbijaju na same prilaze gradu, gdje su zaustavljeni. Primirje koje je Pošto je 2. siječnja 1992. sklopljen sporazum o potpunom pre- potom slijedilo je iskoristila JNA za izvlačenje svojih snaga kidu borbenih djelovanja u Hrvatskoj, hrvatska obrana bila je iz blokiranih karlovačkih vojarni i njihovo pregrupiranje na nakon teških iskušenja konsolidirana. Bio je to kraj prve eta- zauzetim položajima. Specifičnost ratovanja na Karlovačko- pe Domovinskog rata. U doba Sarajevskog primirja neprijatelj kordunskom bojištu je velika isprepletenost borbenih ak- je pod okupacijom držao oko 17300 km² hrvatskog državnog tivnosti, političkih interesa i mjera specijalnog rata. Preko teritorija. U međuvremenu su hrvatske oružane snage pre- karlovačkog područja JNA evakuira najveći dio svojih snaga rastale u respektabilnu vojnu silu koja će, u danima koji su iz Zagreba, Velike Gorice i Jastrebarskog komunikacijom Za- uslijedili, u ustavnopravni poredak Republike Hrvatske vratiti greb-Karlovac-Velika Kladuša-Bihać. i posljednji pedalj okupiranog hrvatskog područja. Hrvatska vojska je podijeljena u tri grane - Hrvatska kopnena vojska Liku su 1991. činile slijedeće općine: Gospić, Otočac, Gra- (HKoV), Hrvatska ratna mornarica (HRM) te Hrvatsko ratno čac, Korenica i Donji Lapac. Brojčano je najveća bila općina zrakoplovstvo i protuzračna obrana (HRZ i PZO). Najbrojnija je Gospić, a najmanja općina Donji Lapac. Većina stanovnika bila kopnena vojska, ustrojena u šest zbornih područja i vrlo srpske narodnosti ove regije (njih oko 40.000) našla se na jakog postroja izravno podređenog Glavnom stožeru HV-a. pobunjeničkoj strani. JNA postrojbe su nastojale ući u Gos- Uz ustrojavanje grana OSRH-a, ustrojeno je i Hrvatsko vojno pić iz smjera Bunića 8. i 10. travnja 1991., ali su ih hrvatski učilište “Petar Zrinski” u svrhu školovanja i obuke hrvatskih policajci odbili. U svibnju su Gospićani onemogućili JNA ten- dočasnika i časnika.

14 20 godina Oružanih snaga Republike Hrvatske After the first stage of the war from July to December of 1991, the establishment of a line of defence created seven battlegrounds: - Eastern Slavonian battleground (1st OZ Osijek) - Western Slavonian battlefield (2nd OZ Bjelovar) - Banovina-Pokuplje battleground (3rd OZ Zagreb) - Karlovac-Kordun battleground (4th OZ Zagreb) - Lika battleground (5th OZ Karlovac) - Northern Dalmatian battleground (6th OZ Split) - Southern Dalmatian battleground (6th OZ Split)

On the seven battlegrounds formed in late 1991, 41 municipali- racks and occupying positions. In July of 1991, the JNA and the ties of the 100 Croatian municipalities were attacked. Of that rebels gained control of Ljubovo and the Osik-Bunić road in Lika. number, 13 were completely occupied, namely: 2 on the Eastern The region of Dalmatia is divided into northern, central Slavonian, 3 on the Banovina-Pokuplje, 3 on the Karlovac-Kor- and southern Dalmatia. In its composition 1991 it had 24 mu- dun, 3 on the Lika 2 on the Southern Dalmatian battlegrounds. nicipalities, three of which were municipalities with a Serbian The Eastern Slavonian battlefield covered seven munici- majority (Knin, Obrovac and Benkovac). The largest in terms of palities: Beli Manastir, Osijek, Vukovar, Vinkovci, Županja, Val- population was the Municipality of Zadar, and the smallest was povo and Đakovo. The municipalities of Beli Manastir and Vu- Obrovac. kovar remained under occupation, as did parts of the Osijek and The Northern Dalmatian battleground consisted of Zadar- Vinkovci municipalities. Obrovac, Šibenik and Sinj battlegrounds. This area was a rebel- On the Western Slavonian battlefield war, was waged on lion focal point in the cities of the Dalmatian hinterland: Knin, the territory of 9 municipalities: Pakrac, Nova Gradiška, Novska, Obrovac, Benkovac and Gračac, and had established the so-called Daruvar, Požega, Grubišno Polje, Virovitica and Slatina. In this SAO Krajina. area the only municipality with a Serbian majority was Pakrac. Southern Dalmatia is an area that extends almost from the On the Banovina-Pokuplje battleground, war was waged Neretva River to Cape Oštro.The main aggressor on this south- on the territory of six municipalities: Sisak, Petrinja, Hrvatska ernmost part in 1991 was the JNA, the Serbian and Montene- Kostajnica, Glina, Dvor na Uni and Velika Gorica. Of the mu- grin Territorial Defence and Bosnia and Herzegovina supported nicipalities that were attacked, Glina, Dvor na Uni and Kostajnica by various paramilitary units. The opponent had over 10 000 were completely occupied. In the area of the municipality of people, about 100 tanks, 50 BVPs, about 120 types of artillery Banovine, there was a Serbian majority, while in the municipal- weapons and 100 aircraft at its disposal. ity of Sisak the majority was absolutely Croatian. Before 1991, The aim of the enemy was to conquer this southernmost part of the occupied territories had a population of around 50 000 Serbs Croatia. The main forces were concentrated on intercepting the and about 30 000 Croats. Ljubovo-Trebinje-Dubrovnik communication line, supporting in On the Karlovac-Kordun battleground, war was waged on the direction of Herceg Novi-Čilipi-Cavtat-Dubrovnik-Kupari. At the territory of 6 municipalities: Slunj, Vojnić, Vrginmost, Kar- the same time the attack was fuelled by two tactical directions lovac, Duga Resa and Ogulin. Slunj, Vojnić and Vrginmost were from Popova Polja. The attack on Konavle was started by Monte- completely occupied. In the first half of October of 1991, rebels negrin reservists on September 24th 1991. Dubrovnik remained and the JNA break out to the border of the city, where they were in a hostile environment until June 26th 1992. The blockade stopped. The truce which followed was then used by the Yugo- lasted 7 months and 21 days. slav Army to pull its forces out of the blocked Karlovac barracks After an agreement was concluded on the complete cessation of and to redeploy their troops to seized positions. combat operations in Croatia on January 2nd 1992, the Croatian de- A specific quality of the warfare on the Karlovac-Kordun bat- fence was consolidated after heavy trials. That was the end of the tleground is its great interweaving of combat activities, political first stage of the war. At the time of the Sarajevo cease-fire, the interests and special-war measures. The JNA evacuated most of enemy occupied 17 300 km2 of Croatian state territory. Meanwhile, its forces from Zagreb, Velika Gorica and through the Jastrebar- the Croatian armed forces had evolved into a respectable military sko communication of Zagreb-Karlovac- Kladuša-Bihac over the force that, in the following days and in a manner which was in line Karlovac area. with Croatian constitutional law, repossessed that last span of oc- In 1991 Lika was comprised of the following municipalities: cupied Croatian territory. The Croatian Army was divided into three Gospić, Otočac, Gračac, Korenica and Donji Lapac. The most pop- branches – the Croatian Ground Army (HKoV), the Croatian Navy ulated was the municipality of Gospić, and the least populated (HRM) and the Croatian Air Force and Air Defence (HRZ and PZO). was Donji Lapac. The largest was the ground army, which was organised into six sec- Most of the inhabitants of Serbian nationality in this region tions and had a very strong echelon that was directly subordinate (about 40 000) were on the rebel side. The JNA’s troops tried to to the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces.Along with the enter Gospić from the direction of Bunić on April 8th and 10th establishment of branches of the CAF, the “Petar Zrinski” Croa- 1991, but they were beat back by the Croatian police. In May the tian Military Academy was also established, with the aim of inhabitants of Gospić prevented JNA tanks from exiting the bar- educating and training Croatian officers and NCOs.

20 Years of the Croatian Armed Forces 15 Hrvatske Oružane i policijske snage započele su 1. svibnja 1995 vojnoredarstvenu operaciju Bljesak u kojoj je oslobo- đeno područje Zapadne Slavonije

On May 1st 1995, Croatian armed forces began military- police operation Flash in which the territory of Western Slavonia was liberated

Potkraj ožujka 1992. hrvatske Oružane snage bile su spremne mijenjati neodrživo stanje na terenu. Počinje druga faza Domovinskog rata koja će donijeti i niz oslobodilačkih operacija kojima će se pro- mijeniti strateški odnosi snaga. Prvi je cilj bio deblokada Dubrovnika i oslobađanje južne Hrvatske. Najvažnije akcije hrvatskih snaga na tom području su izvedene u više faza (operacija). Bio je to golemi uspjeh hrvatskih Oružanih snaga, koji je u toj fazi Domovinskog rata bio itekako važan, Oslobodilačke akcije i operacije nastavljaju se i tijekom 1994. godine, a kako za moral hrvatskih branitelja tako i za daljnji sa svakom od njih stvaraju se bolji uvjeti za potpuno oslobođenje cjeloku- tijek rata kojemu se kraj još nije nazirao. pnog okupiranog hrvatskog teritorija. Prva od njih bila je Zima 94 (stude- Istodobno, Hrvatska vojska na zadarskom području ni/prosinac), slijede Skok-1 (travanj 1995.) i Skok-2 (lipanj 1995.), a kako poduzima operaciju Jaguar, a u šibenskom zaleđu ak- bi stvorila preduvjete za oslobađanje Knina, sredinom 1995. Hrvatska ciju Miljevci. Spomenute akcije i operacije pokazivale vojska poduzima i operaciju Ljeto ‘95 (srpanj). su da je Hrvatska vojska u relativno kratkom vreme- Usporedno, u svibnju 1995. počela je vojno-redarstvena operacija Bljesak nu postala oružana sila koja je u stanju provoditi slo- u kojoj su koordiniranim i združenim djelovanjem hrvatske snage krenu- žene operacije, a njezini pripadnici od dragovoljaca le u oslobađanje zapadne Slavonije i za samo 30-ak sati izbile na rijeku naoružanih tek lakim oružjem postali su iskusni voj- Savu i oslobodile Okučane te potom i Staru Gradišku čime je oslobođen nici spremni i za najzahtjevnije vojne zadaće. i cjelokupni teritorij Brodsko-posavske županije. Operacijom Bljesak hr- Početkom 1993. u svrhu spajanja kontinentalne i vatske su Oružane snage pokazale svoju odlučnost i osposobljenost za južne Hrvatske, Hrvatska vojska i specijalne jedinice oslobađanje i ostalih okupiranih dijelova Lijepe Naše. MUP-a kreću u operaciju Maslenica. U samo 72 sata oslobodili su niz okupiranih sela u zaleđu Zadra te dominantne položaje na Velebitu. Na sinjskom području hrvatske snage oslobađaju hi- drocentralu Peruča koju je neprijatelj minirao i prije- tio njezinim rušenjem; na ličkom bojištu poduzimaju akciju Medački džep.

16 20 godina Oružanih snaga Republike Hrvatske Od lipnja do listopada 1992. postrojbe Hrvatske vojske provele su nekoliko U siječnju 1993. Hrvatska je vojska u operaciji Maslenica oslobodila niz okupiranih oslobodilačkih akcija tijekom kojih je deblokiran Dubrovnik sela u zadarskom zaleđu i omogućila povezivanje kontinentalne i južne Hrvatske

From June to October 1992, units of the Croatian army carried out a number In January 1993, the Croatian army liberated a number of occupied villages near of liberation actions during which Dubrovnik was unblocked Zadar and restored connections between the mainland and Southern Croatian through Operation Maslenica

At the end of March 1992, the Croatian armed forces were ready to change the unsustainable state of the grounds. Thus began the second phase of the Homeland War, which would see a number of liberation operations which were to change the strategic balance of forces. The first goal was to lift the blockade on Dubrovnik and free southern Croatia. Croatian forces’ most important actions carried out in a number of phases (operations). This was a huge success in that phase of the Home- Liberation actions and operations continued throughout 1994, and each land War that was extremely important for the Cro- one of them helped create better conditions for the complete liberation atian Armed Forces, both for the morale of Croatian of the entire Croatian territory. The first one of these was Operation Win- soldiers and for the further course of the war whose ter 94 (November/December), followed by Operation Jump 1 (April 1995) end was not yet in sight. and Operation Jump 2 (June 1995), and in order for the preconditions At the same time, the Croatian Army began Operati- for the liberation of Knin to be created, in mid-1995 the Croatian Army on Jaguar in the Zadar region and the Miljevci action began Operation Summer ’95 (July). in the Šibenik hinterland. The above-mentioned ope- In parallel, the military operation Flash began in May 1995, in which ration and action showed that the Croatian Army, in Croatian forces in a coordinated and consociated way launched the libe- a relatively short period of time, became an armed ration of western Slavonia, and in about 30 hours broke out to the Sava force that was able to carry out complex operations, River and liberated Okučani and Stara Gradiška, as well as the entire and their members developed from lightly-armed Slavonski Brod and Posavina County. With Operation Flash the Croatian volunteers to experienced soldiers that were ready armed forces demonstrated their determination and competence in libe- for even the most demanding military assignments. rating the remaining occupied parts of our Beautiful Homeland. In early 1993, with the aim of joining continental and southern Croatia, the Croatian Army and MUP’s Special Forces began Operation Maslenica. In only 72 hours the army liberated a number of occupied villages in Zadar’s hinterland as well as dominant positions on Mount Velebit. In the Sinj area, Croatian forces librated the Peruča power plant, which the enemy had mined and threa- tened to demolish, and they began Operation Medak Pocket on the Lika battlefield.

20 Years of the Croatian Armed Forces 17 Predsjednik RH dr. Franjo Tuđman prati tijek vojnoredarstvene operacije Oluja koja je započela 4. kolovoza 1995.

Croatian President Franjo Tudjman monitored the course of military operation Storm that started on August 4th 1995.

Rano ujutro 4. kolovoza 1995. počela je vojno-redarstvena operacija Oluja. Zadaća je bila u hrvatski ustavnopravni poredak vratiti sva okupirana područja. Hrvatske snage krenule su u akciju istodobno iz 30 smjerova na bojišni- ci dugoj oko 630 kilometara. Udarnu snagu na glavnim smjerovima napada činile su gardijske brigade, potpomo- gnute specijalnom policijom MUP-a i HG Zdrugom te do- mobranskim i pričuvnim postrojbama. Bila je to, u taktičkom i strateškom smislu, vojna operacija koju će zahvaljujući svojoj originalnosti i uspješnosti izučavati brojni vojni analitičari. Već drugog dana operacije obavljeno je osamdeset posto planiranih borbenih zadaća. Većina okupiranih hrvatskih gradova je opet slobodna, a oslobađanjem Knina, središta neprijateljske pobune u Hrvatskoj, ostvaren je najvažni- ji strateško-politički i vojni cilj, ne samo operacije Oluja nego i cijelog Domovinskog rata. U samo 84 sata vojnoredarstvene operacije Oluja, u kojoj je bilo angažirano gotovo 200 tisuća hrvatskih vojnika, a oslobođeno je više od 10 500 četvornih kilometara dotad okupiranog područja, Hrvatska vojska ostvarila je sve zacrtane ciljeve. Ta veličanstvena oslobodilačko-pobjednička operacija donijela je promjenu strateških odnosa, dakako u korist hrvatskih snaga. Nezadrživa oslobodilačka djelovanja nastavljena su i u operacijama koje su slijedile, Maestral i Južni potez, no Oluja je pokazala svijetu snagu i moć hrvatskih Oružanih snaga.

18 20 godina Oružanih snaga Republike Hrvatske Predaja neprijateljskih snaga 21. kordunskog korpusa Susret generala Marijana Marekovića i zapovjednika 5. korpusa na području Gline Armije BiH-a generala Atifa Dudakovića označio je kraj okruženja bihaćke enklave Capitulation of enemy forces to the 21st Kordun Corps in the Glina area The meeting between General Marijan Mareković and Comman- der of the 5th Corps of the Bosnian Army General Atif Dudaković marked the end of the encirclement of the Bihać enclave

Military Operation Storm began early in the morning of August 4th, 1995. The task was to return all occupied territories to the Croatian constitution. Croatian forces launched into action simultaneously in 30 directions on an approximately 630 kilometre-long front. The Guard’s Brigade was the major impact force on the main directions of attack, and was supported by the MUP’s special police, the Croatian Guard Corps and home guardsman and reserve units. In the tactical and strategic sense, that was a military operation which, thanks to its originality and success, will be studied by many military analysts. By the second day of the operation, eighty percent of the planned combat tasks had been executed. Most of the occupied Croatian cities were free again, and with the liberation of Knin, the centre of the enemy’s re- bellion in Croatia, the most important politico-strategic and military goal of not only Operation Storm but of the entire Homeland War was reached. In just 84 hours, Military Operation Storm, in which almost 200 000 Croatian soldiers were engaged in and in which over 10 500 square kilometres of occupied territory had been liberated, the Croatian Army had achieved all the goals it had set. That glorious liberation-winning operation prompted a change in strategic relationships, in favour of the Croatian forces, of course. The unstoppable liberation actions continued in the operations that followed, Mistral and Southern Move, but Storm was the operation that showed the world the strength and power of the Croatian Armed Forces.

20 Years of the Croatian Armed Forces 19 Pripremili Leida Parlov i Toma Vlašić, foto Tomislav Brandt, Davor Kirin

Oružane snage Republike Hrvatske su u nevjerojatno kratkom vremenskom razdoblju od dragovo- ljačkih odreda izrasle u pravu vojsku spremnu za najzahtjevnije zadaće. Hrvatska vojska ispunila je onaj temeljni, sveti cilj svake oružane sile - obraniti i osloboditi svoju domovinu. U njezino stasanje i snaženje ugrađene su mnogobrojne žrtve, no možemo biti ponosni na ostvareno, veliku pobjedu Podizanje hrvatske zastave u The raising of the Croatian male vojske koja je dovela do ostvarenja stoljetnih sjedištu NATO-a u Bruxellesu flag at NATO headquarters in hrvatskih težnji i slobodne domovine. 7. travnja 2009. Brussels on April 7th 2009 U razdoblju koje je slijedilo Hrvatska se vojska neprestano prilagođavala novim izazovima. Okrenu- la se potpunoj profesionalizaciji, razvijajući snage i sposobnosti djelovanja u združenim operacijama, međunarodnim operacijama odgovora na krize, hu- manitarnim, operacijama potpore miru... u sastavu NATO saveza, UN-a te pomoći civilnim institucijama u zemlji. Od zemlje primateljice mirovnih snaga postali smo zemlja i vojska koja ulaže velike napore u izgradnji mira u cijelom svijetu sudjelujući u brojnim mirovnim misijama i operacijama. Postali smo zahvalju- jući samo vlastitim naporima i pobjedama, onim u Domovinskom ratu i onim koje je pred nas stavilo novo moderno vrijeme, dio najmoćnijeg vojno-poli- tičkog saveza u svijetu i danas kao jedna od 28 čla- nica NATO-a ponosno stupamo uz bok najmoćnijih vojski svijeta. Put na koji se krenulo iz Kranjčevićeve ulice bio je put pobjede i put stasanja jedne mlade vojske, danas izrasle u moderne, respektabilne i profesionalne oru- žane snage.

20 20 godina Oružanih snaga Republike Hrvatske By Leida Parlov i Toma Vlašić, photos by Tomislav Brandt, Davor Kirin

The Croatian Armed Forces, in an incredibly short amount of time, went from being a volunteer unit to a real army that was ready for even the most demanding tasks. The Croatian Army met the fundamental and sacred goal of any armed forces, that of defending and freeing its homeland. There were many victims over the course of its coming of age and strengthening, but we can be proud and operations. Thanks to our own efforts and victories, those in the Ho- of what was accomplished: a great victory for a small meland War and those put before us by modern times, we have become army that realised ancient Croatian aspirations and part of the most powerful military-political alliance in the world, and gave us a free country. today, as one of 28 members of NATO, we proudly stand alongside the During the period that followed, the Croatian Army world’s most powerful armies. constantly adapted to new challenges. It completely The journey which began on Kranjčevićeva Street was the path towards professionalised, developing forces and the capability victory and a coming of age journey for a young army which today has to participate in joint operations, international crisis grown into modern, respectable and professional armed forces. response operations, humanitarian operations, peacekeeping operations, it provides help to domestic U razdoblju mira OSRH se neprestano prilagođava novim izazovima, potpuno se profesio- civil institutions, all within NATO and UN structures. nalizira te nastavlja razvijati snage i sposobnosti za djelovanje u združenim operacijama, From a country that was host to peacekeeping forces, operacijama odgovora na krize, operacijama potpore miru u sastavu snaga UN-a NATO-a i EU-a we became a country and army that invests great effort in building peace throughout the whole world During peacetime, the CAF has constantly adapted to new challenges, has completely by participating in numerous peacekeeping missions professionalized itself and continues to develop the strengths and abilities needed to operate in joint operations, crisis response operations and peace support operations within the UN’s NATO and EU forces

Podizanje zastave NATO saveza ispred zgrade Ministarstva obrane RH

The raising of NATO’s flag in front of the Croatian Ministry of Defence

20 Years of the Croatian Armed Forces 21 Dugoročni plan razvoja OSRH 2006. – 2015., donesen u lipnju 2006., planski je pristupio modernizaciji te donio pregled stanja i planirane aktivnosti do 2015. U procesu opremanja naoružanjem i vojnom opremom maksimalno će se rabiti domaći razvojni i proizvodni potencijali, u skladu s mogućnostima i razini tehnološkog razvoja gospodarstva u Republici Hrvatskoj

Razvoj jednog velikog sustava kao što su oružane snage nikad nije i ne može biti završen. U tijeku je izrada novih strateških dokumenata kojima će se odrediti daljnji razvoj Oružanih snaga i modaliteti, dinamika i prioriteti modernizacije. No najvažnije jest da je OSRH u svakom trenutku spreman i sposoban obaviti svoje zadaće u zemlji i međunarodnom okruženju. Nakon pobjede ostvarene u Domovinskom ratu Oru- žane snage Republike Hrvatske postupno su se u svim svojim segmentima počele prilagođavati mirnodopskim uvjetima i organizaciji. Cilj je od samog početka bio ustrojiti male, moderne, lakopokretne oružane snage sposobne djelovati u sastavu NATO-a i EU-a. Oružane snage su se mijenjale u organizacijskom smislu, a broj pripadnika postupno se smanjivao. Za- počelo se i s modernizacijom opreme i naoružanja. U procesu preustrojavanja provedena je i profesionalizacija Oružanih snaga, a obvezno služenje vojnog roka zamijenjeno je dragovoljnim.

Nakon pobjede ostvarene u Domovinskom ratu OS RH postupno su se u svim segmentima počele prilagođavati mirnodopskim uvjetima i organizaciji

After it achieved victory in the Homeland War, the CAF gradually began to adapt to peacetime conditions and organization in all its segments

22 20 godina Oružanih snaga Republike Hrvatske The CAF’s Long-Term Development Plan 2006 – 2015, adopted in June 2006, provided a modernization plan and gave an overview of the situation and of planned activities up until 2015. In the weapons and military equipment furnishing process, domestic development and production resources will be used maximally, in accordance with possibilities and the level of technological development of the Croatian economy

The progress of a large system such as the armed forces has never been and can not be absolute. In the works is the preparation of new strategic documents which will determine the further development of the armed forces and of the modalities, dynamics and priorities of the modernization. But what is most important is that the Croatian Armed Forces be ready and able to perform its mission at home and in the international environment at any given time. After the victory achieved in the Homeland War, the Croatian Armed Forces, in all its segments, gradually started to adapt to peacetime conditions and organization. The goal from the very beginning was to form a small, modern, mobile armed forces that is capable of functioning within NATO’s and the UN’s structures. The Armed Forces have changed in terms of organization and its number of members has gradually decreased. The modernization of its equipment and weapons also inevitably began. During the reorganization process, the professionalization of the armed forces was also carried out and compulsory military service was replaced by voluntary service.

Cilj je od samog početka bio ustrojiti male, moderne, lako pokretne oružane snage

The goal from the very beginning was to form small, modern, easily mobile armed forces U procesu preustrojavanja provedena je profesionalizacija, a obavezno služenje vojnog roka zamijenjeno je dragovoljnim

During the reorganization process, a professionalization was carried out, and mandatory military service was replaced with a voluntary one

20 Years of the Croatian Armed Forces 23 Republika Hrvatska je svoje sudjelovanje u UN-ovim Vrlo brzo, kao odgovorna članica međunarodne zajednice, Republika Hr- misijama započela 1999. godine upućivanjem 10 vatska i njezine Oružane snage angažirale su se u misijama očuvanja vojnih promatrača u misiju UNAMSIL u Sijera Le- mira diljem svijeta. Najprije se krenulo sa sudjelovanjem u međunarod- oneu. Slanjem vojnih promatrača u misiju UNAMSIL, nim misijama UN-a, potom u NATO vođenim operacijama i na kraju Republika Hrvatska je postala kontributor svjetskom u EU misijama. Prve vojne promatrače OSRH-a je uputio 1999. godine miru i stabilnosti, a počela je i sama obučavati pri- u UN-ovu misiju u Sierra Leone. Danas 12 godina poslije pripadnici padnike vojnih snaga iz drugih zemalja za mirovne OSRH-a na raznim dužnostima, njih oko 460, sudjeluje u sedam UN- operacije. ovih misija, u dvije NATO vođene operacije i to ISAF u Afganistanu i Stupajući u misiju na Haitiju, OSRH prvi put uključu- KFOR na Kosovu te u misiji Europske unije Atalanta. Hrvatska je i čla- ju i vojnog psihologa u međunarodne vojne operacije, nica Nordijske borbene skupine Europske unije u kojoj OSRH sudjeluju a u Obali Bjelokosti prvi put se uključuje u misiju na s dva helikoptera s posadama. Iduće godine OSRH postat će dio borbene francuskom govornom području. Priznanje Hrvatskoj skupine pod vodstvom Republike Njemačke. bilo je i odabir njezina časnika, brigadira Tomislava Pavičića za zamjenika zapovjednika misije u Indiji i Pakistanu (UNMOGIP), dužnost koju je preuzeo u siječnju 2005. da bi zadnja četiri mjeseca mandata obnašao i dužnost zapovjednika misije. Tu prestižnu dužnost predao je generalu Dragutinu Repincu koji ju je obnašao u produženom mandatu. U Hrvatskoj su prvi put održani međunarodni voj- nopromatrački tečajevi za UN misije s 11 polaznika iz Mongolije, Belizea, Kazahstana, Kirgistana, Mala- vija i Salvadora, tj. zemalja koje su tek počele davati osoblje za misije UN-a. Time je UN odao priznanje Hrvatskoj pokazavši da je hrvatska vojna obuka u skladu s UN-ovim standardima. Dodatni kredibilitet od UN-a Hrvatska je dobila kao jedna od rijetkih čla- nica koja je sve svoje financijske obveze obavila na vrijeme i bila članica Vijeća sigurnosti dvije godine. Promjene koje su uslijedile, s obzirom na to da je to trajni proces, odvijaju se i danas. Trendove u svijetu moraju pratiti svi segmenti društva pa tako i vojska, koju su pratile i prate i nove zadaće i misije. Zemlja je obranjena i trebalo je krenuti dalje. Punopravnom članstvu u NATO savezu prethodilo je naše članstvo u Partnerstvu za mir i drugim međunarodnim ini- cijativama kao što je Američko-jadranska povelja. Realizacija partnerskih ciljeva i obveza preuzetih u okvirima Akcijskog plana za članstvo (MAP) imala je najveći prioritet. Sve to pridonosilo je boljem razumi- jevanju i jačanju naših obrambenih kapaciteta i na međunarodnu planu, osobito na području doprinosa globalnoj sigurnosti.

24 20 godina Oružanih snaga Republike Hrvatske The Republic of Croatia began its participation in UN missions in 1999 by the General Dragutin Repinc who had served in the sending 10 military observers to the UNAMSIL mission in Sierra Leone. extended mandate. By doing so, the Republic of Croatia became a contributor to world peace For the first in Croatia time held international mili- and stability, and began to train members of armed forces from other tary observer courses for UN missions with 11 partici- countries for peacekeeping operations. In engaging in the mission in pants from Mongolia, Belize, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Haiti, for the first time the CAF included a military psychologist in in- Malawi and El Salvador, in other words, countries ternational military operations, and in the Ivory Coast they are engaging that have only begun to provide personnel for UN in a mission in a French-speaking region for the first time. A great akc- missions. With this the UN gave a great acknowl- nowledgment to Croatia was the selection of its officer Colonel Tomislav edgement to Croatia, showing that Croatian military Pavičić as deputy commander of the mission in India and Pakistan (UN- training is in accordance with UN standards. Croatia MOGIP), a position which he took in January 2005. This prestigious office received additional credibility, as it was one of the of mission commander the last four months of the mandate was handed few states that all settled its financial obligations on time and was a member of the Security Council for two years. The changes that followed, given that this is Kao odgovorna članica međunarodne zajednice RH i an ongoing process, are still in progress. Global trends njezine oružane snage angažirale su se i u misijama must be monitored by all segments of society, inclu- očuvanja mira diljem svijeta ding the army, which had and still has new tasks and As a responsible member of the international missions. The country had been defended and it was community, Croatia’s armed forces are engaged in time to move on. Full NATO membership was preceded peacekeeping missions around the world by our membership in the Partnership for Peace and other international initiatives such as the U.S. Adria- tic Charter. The biggest priority was the realisation of the partnership’s goals and commitments within the framework of the Membership Action Plan (MAP).All this contributed to the better understanding and strengthening of our defence capacity on an international level, especially in the area of contribution to global security. Very quickly, as a responsible member of the international community, the Republic of Croatia and its armed forces engaged themselves in peacekeeping missions throughout the world. It all began with participation in the UN’s international missions, then with NATO-led operations and finally withE U missions. The CAF sent its first military observers to the UN’s mission in Sierra Leone in 1999. Today, 12 years later, members of the Armed Forces, holding various functions, about 460 of them, are involved in seven UN missions, in two NATO-led operations, the ISAF mission in Afghanistan and the KFOR mission in Kosovo to be precise, and in the European Union’s Atalanta mission. Croatia is a part of the European Union’s Nordic battle group, in which it is participating in with 2 helicopters and its crews. Next year the CAF will be a part of the group that is lead by Germans.

20 Years of the Croatian Armed Forces 25 Republika Hrvatska, kao odgovorna članica međunarod- tivnostima Afganistanske nacionalne armije i ANP (Afganistanska ne zajednice, želi pridonijeti izgradnji mira i stabilnosti u nacionalna policija). Iako su pripadnici OSRH-a već duže na razne svijetu, te suzbijanju glavnih sigurnosnih prijetnji. To je načine angažirani u obuci pripadnika ANA-e i ANP-e, među ostalim jedan od glavnih razloga njezina sudjelovanja u ISAF-u. spomenimo njihovo sudjelovanje u KMTC (Kabul Military Training Sudjelovanje u operacijama pod vodstvom NATO-a pruža Center), školi logistike, inženjerijskoj školi i topničkoj školi i školi prigodu pripadnicima njezinih Oružanih snaga da djeluju Vojne policije. S ovim je kontingentom Republika Hrvatska postala zajedno s pripadnicima oružanih snaga zemalja članica i vodeća nacija u Školi vojne policije. Riječ je o jednoj od za sada Saveza, te se i na taj način uče i usavršavaju za buduće desetak granskih i specijalističkih obučnih institucija u Afganistanu zajedničke zadaće i izgradnju sposobnosti. Doprinos Hr- ustrojenih u sklopu NATO-ove obučne misije (NATO Training Mi- vatske ISAF-u planiran je na dugoročnoj osnovi. ssion - NMT-A) sa svrhom izravne potpore u obuci Afganistanskih Nakon donesene odluke Hrvatskog sabora 12. prosinca snaga sigurnosti (ANSF). 2002. o sudjelovanju pripadnika OSRH-a u mirovnoj mi- Među pripadnicima OSRH-a u misiji ISAF je i zrakoplovno mentor- siji u Afganistanu (ISAF), OSRH šalje u Kabul dana 27. ska skupina, sastavljena od tehničara i pilota iz postrojbi HRZ-a i veljače 2003. I. hrvatski kontingent (HRVCON), odnosno PZO-a, čija je zadaća obuka letačkog i tehničkog sastava Afganistan- I. vod Vojne policije. Ukupna brojčana snaga hrvatskog skog ratnog zrakoplovstva. kontingenta je bila 50 pripadnika. Osim vojne policije (44 pripadnika) u misiju su upućena i tri pripadnika NSE-a (National Support Element) te tri časnika na položaje u Zapovjedništvo misije ISAF i Kabulsku multinacionalnu Pripadnici OSRH na različite su načine brigadu (Kabul Multinational Brigade - KMNB). angažirani u obuci pripadnika Afganistanske Položaj u Zapovjedništvu misije ISAF bio je Časnik za nacionalne armije i policije vezu te ujedno i čelnik hrvatskog kontingenta. U KMNB- u naši časnici su bili angažirani u G-4 (logistika) i kao zamjenici glavnog vojnog policajca (DPM-Deputy Provost Marshal). Suradnja s Nijemcima kao vodećoj naciji u KMNB-u je bila izvanredna. Osim što se povećavao broj pripadnika OS-a u misijama i operacijama, mijenjale su se i zadaće koje oni u njima obavljaju. Aktivnim sudjelovanjem i potvrđivanjem na međunarodnom planu, razvijanjem regionalne suradnje i aktivnim zalaganjem za mir i stabilnost u regiji i svijetu Hrvatska je prije dvije godine, na NATO-ovu samitu u Strasbourgu i Khelu održanom u travnju 2009. ostvarila jedan od svojih najvažnijih vanjskopolitičkih ciljeva - punopravno članstvo u NATO savezu. No time procesi u Oružanim snagama nisu stali, a aktivnosti na među- narodnom planu su se nastavile, čak u kvalitativnom i kvantitativnom smislu i povećale. To se ponajviše vidi u operaciji ISAF u Afganistanu gdje su prvi vojni policajci upućeni 2003. godine. Postupno se u skladu s trendovima u NATO-u sve veća važnost počela davati obučnim aktivnostima i mento- riranju Afganistanske nacionalne armije i ANP (Afga- nistanska nacionalna policija). Velik broj pripadnika 17. HRVCON-a, koji je trenutačno u Afganistanu, na neki je način angažirano upravo u obučnim i mentorskim ak-

26 20 godina Oružanih snaga Republike Hrvatske U obučnom centru vodiča i službenih pasa „Satnik Krešimir Ivošević“ u Dugom Selu tijekom 2009. godine provodila se i sedmomjesečna obuka iračkih snaga sigurnosti sa psima za detekciju eksploziva

In the “Captain Krešimir Ivošević” training centre for guide and service dogs in Dugo Selo, a seven-month training of Iraqi security forces with explosive-detecting dogs was carried out in 2009

The Republic of Croatia, as a responsible member of the international com- in command of the ISAF mission was a liaison officer, munity, wishes to contribute to building peace and stability in the world, who was also the leader of the Croatian contingent. In as well as to suppressing major security threats. This is one of the main the KMNB our officers were engaged in the G-4 (logis- reasons for its participation in ISAF. Participation in NATO-led operations tics) and as Deputies to the Chief of the Military Police provides an opportunity for members of its Armed Forces to work with Al- (DPM Deputy Provost Marshal). The collaboration with liance members’ armed forces, and thus learn and improve themselves for the Germans as a leading nation in KMNB was excel- future common tasks and build their capacities. Croatia’s contribution to lent. In addition to increasing the number of members ISAF is planned to be long-term. of the Armed Forces in missions and operations, the After the decision adopted by the Croatian Parliament on December 12th tasks the members perform in them have also chan- 2002 on the participation of CAF members in the peacekeeping mission in ged. By actively participating in and being certified at Afghanistan (ISAF), the CAF sent the first Croatian contingent (HRVCON), the international level, by developing regional coope- namely, the first military police unit, to Kabul on February 27th 2003. The ration and active efforts to create peace and stability Croatian contingent was comprised of 50 members. In addition to the mil- in the region and in the world, two years ago, at the itary police (44 members), 3 members of the NSE (National Support Ele- NATO summit in Strasbourg and Kehl held in April ment), and 3 officers in command positions in the ISAF mission in the Ka- 2009, Croatia achieved one of its most important forei- bul multinational brigade (KMNB) were sent to the mission. The position gn policy objectives – full NATO membership. Howe- ver, processes in the Armed Forces did not stop there, and activities at the international level continued, and Members of the CAF have long been engaged even increased in terms of quality and quantity. This in various ways in the training of the Afghan is most clearly evident in the ISAF operation in Afgha- National Army and Police nistan, where the first military police officers were sent in 2003. Gradually and in line with trends in NATO, a growing importance was placed on training activities and on mentoring the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police (ANP). A great number of the 17th HRVCON’s members, currently in Afghanistan, are in some way involved in training and mentoring the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Poli- ce. Although members of the Armed Forces have been engaged in the training of the ANA and ANP for quite a number of ways, special mention must be given to their participation in the KMTC (Kabul Military Trai- ning Center), in the School of Logistics, in the Artillery School and in the Engineering School; with this, the Republic of Croatia’s contingent became the leading nation in the Military Police School. This is one of the ten current branched and specialized training institutions in Afghanistan, established as part of NATO’s training mission (NATO Training Mission - NMT) whose purpose is to give direct support in the training of the Afghan Security Forces (ANSF). Among the CAF members in the ISAF mission is an aircraft mentoring group, composed of technicians and pilots from Air Force and Air Defense units, whose assignment is to help helicopter component of the Afghan Air Force and train to their pilots and technicians.

20 Years of the Croatian Armed Forces 27 Kao punopravna članica NATO saveza, Hrvatska je 2009. godine bila domaćin vježbe „Jackal Stone 09“, te godine najveće vježbe specijalnih postrojbi u Europi

As a full NATO member, in 2009Croatia hosted the “Jackal Stone 09” exercise, which was the largest special units exercise in Europe

Osim u misijama i operacijama OSRH sudjeluju i u drugim međunarodnim aktivnostima, poput vojnih vježbi. Da bi mogle djelovati zajedno s drugim NATO zemljama, OSRH su intenzivno radile na razvoju i dostizanju potrebnog stupnja interoperabilnosti što su poslije i potvrđivale na brojnim vojnim vježbama. Jedna od najvećih međunarodnih vježbi koja je pokazala vrhunsku uvježbanost OSRH nih sposobnosti te na dostizanju sposobnosti za sudjelovanje u među- bila je NATO-ova vježba “Noble Midas” koja se u listo- narodnim vojnim operacijama. Sve provedene domaće i međunarodne padu 2007. održala u Hrvatskoj na kojoj je potvrđena vježbe bile su u potpori primjene Ciljeva snaga i dostizanja zahtijevane spremnost NRF i JCF Napulj. Pripadnici vojne polici- interoperabilnosti i kompatibilnosti s NATO-om. U tu svrhu provodilo se je OSRH-a aktivni su u NATO-ovoj Multinacionalnoj usklađivanje procesa planiranja, provedbe i analize vježbi s NATO-ovom bojni vojne policije (MNMPBAT) i to od 2005. kad je uputom za vježbe na vojnim vježbama GUARDEX, CROMINN, NOREX i ta postrojba, u kojoj su i vojnopolicijske snage Polj- dr. Obuka u Obalnoj straži RH od njezina osnutka kontinuirano se pro- ske, Slovačke i Češke, i ustrojena. Zajedničko uvježba- vodila obavljanjem poslova i zadaća nadzora i zaštite prava i interesa vanje provodi se na međunarodnim vježbama “Black RH na moru. Sve zadaće su se provodile samostalno i u suradnji s dru- Bear”. Do sada ih je održano tri, a prošlogodišnja je gim ministarstvima redovitim zajedničkim i posebnim aktivnostima na bila u Hrvatskoj. NATO MNMPBAT punu bi operativ- moru. Dostignuta je i održana sposobnost i spremnost za poslove i za- nu spremnost trebao dostignuti 2012. godine. U Hr- daće Obalne straže u zaštiti prava i interesa RH na moru u skladu sa vatskoj se održavalo i nekoliko međunarodnih vježbi zakonima i ovlastima, samostalno i u združenom djelovanju s HRZ-om i specijalnih postrojbi. U rujnu 2007. “Adriatic Eagle”, PZO-om i drugim namjenskim snagama ministarstva RH te za provedbu a dvije godine poslije kao punopravna članica NATO zadaća osiguranja međuotočnih prolaza i područja baziranja u suradnji saveza Hrvatska je bila domaćin vježbe “Jackal Stone s Flotilom HRM-a. U spomenutim, ali i u brojnim drugim međunarod- 09” najveće vježbe specijalnih postrojbi u Europi u nim vježbama, pripadnici OSRH-a i prije nego što je Hrvatska postala toj godini. Težište u obuci zapovjedništava i postrojbi punopravnom članicom Saveza, potvrdili su da mogu uspješno zajednički OSRH-a bilo je na održavanju dostignutih operativ- djelovati s NATO-ovim vojnicima. Iako je za uspješno funkcioniranje bilo kojeg sustava nužna sinergija mnogih elemenata, ipak na početku i na kraju svega stoji čovjek. U na- šem slučaju vojnik, dočasnik i časnik, koji je obrazovan, profesionalan i sposoban raditi u međunarodnom okruženju. Stoga je jedan od preduvje- ta za postignute uspjehe bilo i ulaganje u obrazovanje. Iz godine u godinu obrazovni kriteriji u OSRH-a, u skladu sa standardima modernih vojski svijeta, podižu se na sve višu razinu. Nužno je to ne samo zbog uspješnog sudjelovanja u misijama i drugim međunarodnim aktivnostima nego i rada u NATO-ovim zapovjedništvima čija su vrata pripadnicima OSRH-a otvorena ulaskom u Savez. Ulaskom RH u NATO, a u skladu s preuzetim Ciljevima snaga, intezivi- rane su aktivnosti na razvijanju sposobnosti za ocjenjivanje spremnosti deklariranih snaga po standardima snaga Savezničkog zapovjedništva za operacije koje su Oružane snage prihvatile kao svoj sustav spremnosti. Snage koje se pripremaju za sudjelovanje u MVO prolaze proces predu- putne obuke. Proces obučavanja završava certificiranjem svake sastavni- ce u skladu sa zahtjevanim sposobnostima, a koje provode časnici koji su NATO certificirani REVC AL ocjenjivači. Ministarstvo obrane RH i Oružane snage RH uz ostala tijela državne upra- ve od 2005. godine sudjeluju i na NATO-ovim vježbama Crisis Manage- ment Exercise (CMX) koje se provode samo u obliku simulacije prema detaljno razrađenom scenariju na strategijskoj razini.

28 20 godina Oružanih snaga Republike Hrvatske Pripadnici Vojne policije OSRH aktivni su i u NATO-voj multinacionalnoj bojni Vojne policije čije se uvježbavanje provodi na međunarodnim vježbama „Black Bear“ koja je 2010. godine održana u Hrvatskoj

Members of the CAF’s Military Police are active in NATO’s multinational Military Police Battalion, whose training is conducted in “Black Bear” international exercises, which, in 2010, was held in Croatia

In addition to missions and operations, the CAF also participates in other international activities, such as military exercises. In order to be able to work with other NATO countries, the CAF worked inten- sively on developing and achieving the necessary degree of interoperability, which they later showed proof of in a number of military exercises. One of the largest international exercises in which the CAF dem- and other designated forces from Croatian ministries, as well as in conduct- onstrated its superior training was NATO’s Noble Midas ing tasks that involve ensuring interinsular passages and basing areas in Exercise, which was held in Croatia in October 2007, in cooperation with the Croatian Navy’s Flotilla. In these and in many other which the readiness of NRF and JCF Naples was con- international exercises, members of the Armed Forces, even before Croatia firmed.M embers of the CAF’s Military Police have been had become a full member of the Alliance, proved that they could success- active in NATO’s Multinational Military Police Battal- fully work together with NATO troops. Although a synergy of many elements ion (MNMPBAT) since 2005, when that unit, which is necessary for the successful functioning of any system, at the beginning also includes members from Polish, Slovak and Czech and at end of it all stands a man. In our case, that man is the soldier, NCO military police forces, was established. Joint training is and officer who is knowledgeable, professional and able to work in an inter- conducted during Black Bear international exercises. national environment. Therefore, one of the prerequisites for the achieved Until now it has been held three times, and last year successes and was the investment in education. From year to year and in it was held in Croatia. NATO’s MNMPBAT’s full opera- accordance with the standards of modern armies of the world, the CAF’s tional capability should be achieved by 2012. Several education criteria rise to an increasingly higher level. This is essential not international and special forces exercises were held in only for successful participation in missions and other international activi- Croatia. In September 2007, Croatia hosted Adriatic ties but also for work in NATO headquarters, whose doors were opened to Eagle, and two years, later as a full NATO member, members of the Armed Forces through entry into the Alliance. hosted the Jackal Stone 09 exercise, which was the With Croatia’s entry into NATO, and in accordance with the adopted Goals largest special units exercise in Europe that year. of the forces, activities were intensified for developing the ability to assess The focus of the training of commands and units of the readiness of the declared forces according to the standards of the Allied the CAF was on maintaining operational capabilities Forces Headquarters for operations which the Armed Forces adopted as a and on achieving the capacity to participate in interna- part its readiness system. The forces that are getting ready to participate tional military operations. All executed domestic and in IMO are undergoing the process of pre-deployment training. The train- international exercises were in support of the imple- ing process ends with the certification of each component in accordance mentation of the forces’ goals and of the achievement with the required skills which are implemented by NATO officers who are of the required interoperability and compatibility with certified REVC AL assessors. The Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces NATO. In order to achieve this, the harmonizing of the of Croatia, along with other government bodies, have participated in NATO processes of planning, implementation and analysis Crisis Management Exercises (CMX) which are held in the form of simula- exercises according to NATO directives was undertaken tions of detailed scenario at the strategic level since 2005. with the GUARDEX, CROMINN, NOREX and other military exercises. The training of the Croatian Coast Guard, since its inception, has been continuously carried out by performing the tasks of monitoring and protecting the rights and interests of the Republic of Croatia on Da bi mogle djelovati s the coast. All tasks were carried out independently and drugim NATO zemljama, in collaboration with other ministries through regular OSRH je intenzivno radio na dostizanju potrebnog joint and special activities at sea. The Croatian Coast stupnja interoperabilnosti Guard’s skill and readiness for assignments and tasks was reached and maintained in the protection of the To be able to operate with rights and interests of the Republic of Croatia at sea, in other NATO countries, the accordance with the laws and authorities, individually CAF intensely worked on achieving the necessary and in joint action with the Air Force and Air Defence degree of interoperability

20 Years of the Croatian Armed Forces 29 Sve promjene i nove zadaće OSRH-a, u skladu s planovi- ma i mogućnostima, prati i modernizacija opreme i nao- Nove zadaće OSRH prati i modernizacija ružanja u sve tri grane OS-a. Taj je proces dodatno ubrzan opreme i naoružanja u sve tri grane tijekom priprema kao i samim ulaskom u NATO savez. Pri izradi planova i strateških dokumenata kojima su defini- The CAF’s new tasks also demanded the modernization of equipment and weapons in rani glavni projekti i dinamika opremanja i modernizacije all three branches Oružanih snaga, primarno se vodilo računa da se OSRH-u omogući što bolje obavljanje sadašnjih i budućih zadaća. Dugoročni plan razvoja OSRH-a 2006. – 2015., donesen u lipnju 2006., planski je pristupio modernizaciji te donio pregled stanja i planirane aktivnosti do 2015. Od brojnih sustava koji su ušli u sastav OSRH, te onih koji se upravo uvode, očekuje se podizanje spremnosti i sposobnosti za obavljanje zadaća, kako u području nacionalne obrane tako i u sklopu obveza unutar NATO-a. U procesu opremanja naoružanjem i vojnom opremom maksimalno će se rabiti domaći razvojni i proizvodni potencijali, u skladu s mogućnostima i razini tehnološkog razvoja gospodarstva u Republici Hrvatskoj. Pri nabavi iz uvoza prednost će se davati suradnji sa stranim tvrtkama zajedničkim razvojnim i offset programima.

30 20 godina Oružanih snaga Republike Hrvatske All the CAF’s changes and new tasks, in accordance with plans 2015. Of the many systems which entered into the CAF’s and possibilities, are accompanied by the monitoring and composition, as well as of those which have just been intro- upgrading of equipment and weapons in all three branches of duced, a rise in their readiness and ability to perform tasks the Armed Forces. This process was further accelerated during is expected, both in the domains of national defense and in preparation for and entrance into NATO. While developing the commitments within NATO. plans and strategic documents which define the main projects In the weapons and military equipment furnishing process, and the equipping and modernization dynamics of the Armed domestic development and production resources will be used Forces, primary attention was paid to the CAF being able to maximally, in accordance with possibilities and the level of perform its current and future tasks as best as possible. technological development of the Croatian economy. As far as The CAF’s Long-Term Development Plan 2006 – 2015, adop- imports are concerned, preference will be given to cooperation ted in June 2006, provided a modernization plan and gave an with foreign companies through common development and overview of the situation and of planned activities up until offset programs.

20 Years of the Croatian Armed Forces 31 Od opreme koja je u procesu nabave spomenimo opremanje novom borbenom odorom koja dolazi u dva modela, kon- tinentalnom i pustinjskom, a proizvod je domaćih tvrtki. Prilagođene su potrebama modernog vojnika, imaju novu i naprednu prikrivnu shemu tipa digitalis. Svojim krojem omogućavaju nesputano kretanje i obavljanje svih zadaća. Uporabljeni materijali omogućavaju bolje grijanje zimi i lak- še hlađenje tijela ljeti te pridonose većoj udobnosti vojnika u terenskim uvjetima. Uz nove odore ide i niz dodatne opreme (kaciga, čizme, naprtnjače, borbeni prsluk, nepromočiva zim- ska jakna…) koja dopunjava i podiže funkcionalnost cijelog sustava osobne opreme. Hrvatski vojnici nose moderan pištolj tipa HS, proizvod hrvatske tvrtke HS Produkt. Ta tvrtka je razvila i novu jurišnu pušku VHS, koja se postupno uvodi u postrojbe OSRH. Kopnena je vojska nabavila i određenu količinu lakih oklopnih vozila Iveco LMV i HMMWV. No najveći projekt nabave vozila jest nabava oklopnih vozila na kotačima Patria AMV. Hrvatska je ugovorila dostavu ukupno 126 vozila. OSRH ob- navlja i oprema novim obučnim i drugim sadržajima i vojne objekte, vojarne i poligone da bi se potpuno prilagodili naj- višim standardima smještaja i obuke vojnika. Tako je vojarna “Pukovnik Predrag Matanović”, nakon obnove i izgradnje postala ogledna hrvatska vojarna. Smještena je u Petrinji, mjestu južno od Zagreba. Prostire se na površini 322 ha i matična je vojarna za dvije mehanizirane bojne Gardij- ske motorizirane brigade. U vojarni živi i radi više od 1000 pripadnika OSRH-a. U sklopu vojarne su tri obučne cjeline i to dva vježbališta i strelište za provođenje taktičke i svih vrsta obuka za međunarodne vojne operacije u kojima pripadnici Tigrova i Gromova redovito sudjeluju. U sklopu vojarne je i izvrsna cestovna infrastruktura za obuku borbenih oklopnih vozila Patria. Pripremajući se za borbu protiv modernih ugroza OSRH je za borbu protiv improviziranih eksplozivnih naprava (C-IED) nabavio robot tEODor, za rad s kojim su osposobljeni djelatnici Pionirske bojne Inženjerijske pukovnije HKoV-a. Robot tEODor, koji pripada samom vrhu svjetske tehnologije kad je riječ o onesposobljavanju i uni- štavanju improviziranih eksplozivnih sredstava, nabavljen je zajedno sa svom pripadajućom opremom i teškim zaštitnim odijelima.

32 2 0 godina Oružanih snaga Republike Hrvatske Hrvatski vojnici naoružani su pištoljem tipa HS proizvodom hrvatske tvrtke HS produkt.Ta tvrtka razvila je i novu jurišnu pušku VHS, koja se postupno uvodi u postrojbe OSRH

Croatian soldiers are armed with a HS pistol-type produced by Croatian company HS product. Another product from the same company is the VHS assault rifle, which is gradually being introduced into the CAF’s units

Of the equipment that is in the process of being purchased, we would like to mention the new combat uniform which comes in two models, continental and desert, which is a product of the Croatian companies. They are tailored to the needs of the modern soldier, and have a new and advanced digitalis camouflage scheme. Their cut allows them to move unfettered and to perform all tasks. Within the barracks there are three training units, that is, two training The materials used allow better heating in the win- fields and one shooting range for the purpose of tactical trainings of all ter and more easily cool the body in the summer and types for international military operations in which members of the Ti- contribute to the greater comfort of soldiers in gro- grovi (the Tigers) and Gromovi (the Thunder) regularly participate. The und conditions. With the new uniforms come opti- barracks are also an excellent road infrastructure for the training of Pa- onal accessories (helmets, boots, backpacks, combat tria armored combat vehicles. jackets, waterproof winter jackets ...) that comple- In preparation for the battle against modern threats, the Croatian Armed ment and improve the functionality of the personal Forces, in order to fight against improvised explosive devices (C-IED), equipment system. acquired a tEODor robot that professionals from the Pioneer Battalion of Croatian soldiers carry the modern HS gun type, a the Croatian Ground Army’s Engineer Regiment are trained to work with. Croatian product from the HS Product company. The One tEODor, the robot being at the top of the world of technology when same company also developed a new VHS assault it comes to disabling and destroying improvised explosive devices, was rifle, which is gradually being introduced into the acquired along with its associated equipment and heavy protective suits. CAF’s units. The Ground Army acquired a number of Iveco LMV and HMMWV light armored vehicles. But the biggest vehicle procurement project is the procurement of Patria AMV armored modular vehicles. Croatia has signed a contract for a total of 126 of those vehicles. The CAF is being renewed and equipped with new training, military and other types of facilities, as well as with military barracks and polygons in order to fully adapt to the highest standards of soldier accommodation and training. Thus, the “Pukovnik Predrag Matanović” barracks, after their renovation and construction, become a model Croatian barracks. They are situated in Petrinja, a place south of Zagreb. They cover an area of 322 hectares and are home base for two mechanized battalions of the Motorised Guard Brigade. More than 1000 CAF members live and work in the barracks.

Među najvećim projektima nabave vozila u HKoV-u jest nabava oklopnih vozila na kotačima Patira AMV

Among the major vehicle procurement projects in the Army is the procurement of Patira AMV motorised armoured vehicles

20 Years of the Croatian Armed Forces 33 Za potrebe školovanja pilota HRZ je, uz postojeće turbo- elisne školske avione Pilatus PC-9M, dobio i pet školskih klipnih aviona Zlin 242L, koji se rabe za selekcijsko lete- nje, temeljnu i naprednu obuku vojnih pilota. Za obuku borbenih pilota nabavljen je i simulator leta za aviona MiG-21 bis. Nosi oznaku FTD TL-21 i proizvod je hrvatske tvrtke Soko Z. I. Pripadnici protuzračne obrane rabe moderan simulator. SIMIG 2000 naziv je simulatora za prijenosni PZO raketni sustav Igla. Taj simulator proizveli su inženjeri sa zagre- bačkog Fakulteta elektrotehnike i računarstva. U sastavu HRZ-a su i protupožarni avioni. Zadnjih je godina nabavljeno šest protupožarnih aviona Bombardier CL-415 te šest manjih protupožarnih aviona Airtractor. Helikopterske su snage pojačane nabavom 10 helikoptera Mi-171Š. Ta je nabava rezultat ugovora između Republike Hrvatske i Ruske Federacije kojim je regulirano rješava- nje dijela klirinškog duga između dviju zemalja. Nabava transportnih helikoptera primjer je uspješne realizacije jednog od vrlo važnih ciljeva zacrtanih Dugoročnim pla- nom razvoja Oružanih snaga Republike Hrvatske, kojim je definirano ulaganje u opremanje i modernizaciju flote HRZ-a i PZO-a. Helikopteri su dodatno oklopljeni radi veće razine zaštite od pješačkog naoružanja. Umjesto dosadašnjih “klasičnih” stražnjih vrata novi helikopteri imaju hidrauličnu rampu, što znatno olakšava brzo desantiranje vojnika te ukrcaj i transport različite vrste tereta.

34 20 godina Oružanih snaga Republike Hrvatske Za potrebe školovanja pilota HRZ je uz postojeće školske avione Pilatus PC-9M dobio i pet školskih aviona ZLIN 242L koji se rabe za selekcijsko letenja te temeljnu i naprednu obuku vojnih pilota

For the purpose of training Air Force pilots, along with the existing Pilatus PC-9M school aircraft, 5 ZLIN 242L aircraft which are used for selective flights and basic and advanced training of military pilots, were also acquired

For the training purposes of pilots, the Croatian Air Force, along with the existing turboprop Pilatus PC-9M school aircraft, received five piston-engined school Zlin 242L aircraft which are used for selecting flights and for the basic and advanced training of military pilots. An MiG-21 bis flight simulator was also purchased for the training of fighters pilots. It bears the FTD TL-21 label and is a product of the Croatian company Soko Z.I. Even members of the air defense use the modern simulator. SIMIG 2000 is the name of the portable simulator of the Anti Aircraft Defense’s Igla missile system. Engineers from the Univer- sity of Zagreb’s Faculty of Electrical Engineer- ing and Computing have produced the simulator. Firefighting aircraft are also part of the Air Force’s composition. In recent years, 6 Bombardier CL-415 firefighting aircraft and 6 smaller Airtractor firefighting aircraft have been purchased. Helicopter forces have been strengthened with the purchase of 10 Mi-171 Sh helicopters. This acquisition was the result of an agreement between the Re- public of Croatia and the Russian Federation, which settled a part of the debt between the two countries. The purchase of transport helicopters is an example of the successful realization of one of the important long-term goals set by the Croatian Armed Forces’ Long-Term Development Plan, in which investment in equipment and modernization of the Air Force and Air Defence’s fleet is defined. The helicopters were additionally armed for increased levels of protection from infantry weapons. Instead of having “classic” back doors, the new helicopters have a hydraulic ramp, which significantly facilitates soldiers’ landings, as well as loading and the transport of various types of cargo.

Helikopterske su snaga pojačane nabavkom 10 helikoptera MI-171Š

Helicopter forces were enhanced through the acquisition of 10 MI-171Sh helicopters

20 Years of the Croatian Armed Forces 35 Posljednjih je godina u sastav HRM-a primljen protuminski brod LM-51 Korčula. Brod je rad bro- dogradilišta Montmontaža-Greben iz Vele Luke, Brodarskog instituta iz Zagreba, Pomorskog centra za elektroniku iz Splita, Inženjeringa za industrijsku elektroniku iz Zagreba i stručnih službi Mi- nistarstva obrane, koji su zajedničkim snagama iz- gradili protuminski brod. LM-51 Korčula uz temeljne Razvoj jednog velikog sustava kao što su Oružane snage nikad nije i ne vojne namjene može služiti i u brojne civilne svrhe. može biti završen. U tijeku je izrada novih strateških dokumenata kojima Osnovna namjena ovog broda je otkrivanje, lociranje će se odrediti daljnji razvoj Oružanih snaga i modaliteti, dinamika i pri- i identifikacija na dnu ležećih i sidrenih mina te nji- oriteti modernizacije. No ono što je najvažnije jest da je OSRH u svakom hovo obilježavanje ili uništavanje. Mornarica je 2009. trenutku spreman i sposoban obaviti svoje zadaće u zemlji i međunarod- dobila i dvije raketne topovnjače klase Helsinki. Ri- nom okruženju. ječ je o raketnim topovnjačama RTOP-41 i RTOP-42, koje su stigle iz Finske te su im dodijeljena imena “Vukovar” i “Dubrovnik”. Sva oprema na brodovima je NATO kompatibilna, a riječ je o višenamjenskim brodovima koji mogu obavljati tradicionalne zadaće i služiti za potrebe Obalne straže, čime je HRM ojačao svoje sposobnosti.

Hrvatska ratna mornarica je tijekom 2009. opremljena i s dvije raketne topovnjače klase Helsinki koje danas nose imena Vukovar i Dubrovnik

36 20 godina Oružanih snaga Republike Hrvatske In recent years, the Croatian Navy’s composition received an LM-51 Korčula anti-mine ship. The ship is the work of the Montmontaža-Greben shipyard from Vela Luka, of the Brodarski Institute in Zagreb, of the Marine Electronic Centre in Split, of Engineering for Industrial Electronics from Zagreb and of the professional office of theM inistry of Defence, who jointly built the Croatian anti-mine The main purpose of this ship is to detect, locate and identify bottom and ship. The LM-51 Korčula, in addition to basic mili- moored mines and to destroy or mark them. In 2009, the Navy received tary purposes, can be also be used for many civilian two Helsinki-class missile gunboats. These are RTOP and RTOP-41-42ro- purposes. cket gunboats, which arrived from Finland and were given the names Vukovar and Dubrovnik. All of the equipment on the ships is NATO- compatible; the vessels are multi-purpose and can carry out traditional tasks and serve the needs of the Coast Guard, thus substantially strengthening the Croatian Navy’s capabilities. The progress of a large system such as the armed forces has never been and can not be absolute. In the works is the preparation of new strategic documents which will determine the further development of the armed forces and of the modalities, dynamics and priorities of the modernization. But what is most important is that the Croatian Armed Forces be ready and able to perform its missions at home and in the international environment at any given time.

In 2009, the Croatian Navy received two Helsinki class missile gunboats, which now bear the names of Vukovar and Dubrovnik

20 Years of the Croatian Armed Forces 37 Obrambeni sustav uspješno odgovorio na sve zadaće

Obrambeni sustav Republike Hrvatske je zahvaljujući uku- Kako bi se stekao analitički uvid u stanje obrambenih spo- pnom stanju u Oružanim snagama, provođenju kadrovske poli- sobnosti, njegovu razvijenost i uređenost, izradili smo novi tike i spremnosti obrambenog sustava, uspješno odgovarao na Strateški pregled obrane. Njime su definirane nove smjernice zadaće koje su se pred njega postavljale. Ta uspješnost osobito za razvoj obrambenog sustava u predstojećem razdoblju. Nakon se iskazivala kako u potpori civilnim institucijama i zajednici usvajanja ovog dokumenta, pristupit će se izradi novog Dugo- tako i u međunarodnim operacijama. Razvojem obrambenih ročnog plana razvoja Oružanih snaga, koji će odrediti dinamiku sposobnosti i ostvarivanjem Ciljeva snaga naš obrambeni razvoja obrambenih sposobnosti. sustav se još čvršće integrira u Sjevernoatlantski savez, dajući Moderne, učinkovite, profesionalne Oružane snage, s kvalifici- mu svoj vidljiv doprinos. Također, konkretno doprinosimo Za- ranim i motiviranim osobljem kao najvećom vrijednošću i dalje jedničkoj sigurnosnoj i obrambenoj politici EU. Sudjelujemo u će biti u fokusu reformi obrambenog sustava. međunarodnim operacijama Sjevernoatlantskog saveza i EU-a. Naše usmjerenje će i nadalje biti stvaranje kvalitetno opre- Pripremi i sigurnosti pripadnika naših Oružanih snaga koje mljenih i obučenih, Oružanih snaga, u skladu sa suvremenim su izravno angažirane u međunarodnim operacijama poklanja trendovima i zahtjevima - snaga koje će biti i financijski se u obrambenom sustavu osobita pozornost. Naše snage su, priuštive, obrambenog sustava koji će i nadalje znati odgovoriti zahvaljujući takvom pristupu i angažmanu, dovedene na takvu na sve zadaće. razinu sposobnosti i interoperabilnosti da svaku dodijeljenu zadaću mogu obaviti učinkovito i vrlo profesionalno. Napori koje naš obrambeni sustav, OS RH ulažu u pružanje pot- MINISTAR OBRANE pore civilnim institucijama i stanovništvu dodatno učvršćuju Dr. sc. Davor Božinović i afirmiraju pozitivnu društvenu ulogu našeg sustava. Oružane snage Republike Hrvatske uživaju veliko povjerenje građana i zbog takvog angažmana.

Defence system successfully responded to all tasks

Thanks to the overall situation in the Armed Forces, to the The efforts that our defence system, the CAF, invests in sup- implementation of personnel policies and to the preparedness porting civilian populations and institutions further strengthen of the defence system, the Republic of Croatia’s defence system and affirm the positive social role of our system. The Armed has successfully responded to the tasks that were placed be- Forces of the Republic Croatia are enjoying citizens’ great con- fore it. This success was particularly made evident both in its fidence because of this kind of engagement. support to civilian institutions and the community as well as In order to gain analytical insight into the state of defensive in international operations. capabilities and to its development and arrangement, we have With the development of defence capabilities and by meeting developed a new Strategic Defence Review. It defines the new the forces’ objectives, our defence system has even more firmly guidelines for the defence system’s development in the upcom- integrated itself into the North Atlantic Alliance, giving it a ing period. Following the adoption of this document, a new visible contribution. We also concretely contribute to the EU’s Long-term Armed Forces Development Plan will be drafted, Common Security and Defence Policy and we participate in which will determine the dynamics of the defence capabili- NATO’s and the EU’s international operations. ties’ development. A high value placed on modern, efficient, In the defence system, special attention is devoted to the prep- professional armed forces with qualified and motivated staff aration and security of our Armed Forces, which are directly will continue to be the focus of the defence reform. Our focus engaged in international operations. Our forces, thanks to this will continue to be on creating well-equipped and well-trained approach and commitment, have been brought to such a level Armed Forces, in line with modern trends and requirements - of capability and interoperability that they can accomplish forces that will be financially feasible, a defence system that each assigned task efficiently and very professionally. will continue to know how to accomplish all of its tasks.

IMPRESUM / EDITORIAL BOARD:

Izdavač / Publisher: Autori teksta / Authors: Ministarstvo obrane Republike Hrvatske / Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Croatia Vesna Pintarić ([email protected]), Leida Parlov ([email protected]) Služba za odnose s javnošću i informiranje / Public Relations and Information Department Toma Vlašić ([email protected]) Odjel Hrvatskih vojnih glasila / Division of the Croatian Military Press Suradnici / Co-authors: brigadir/colonel Mijo Kožić, brigadir/colonel Josip Mahović Glavni urednik / Editor-In-Chief: Željko Stipanović ([email protected]) Fotografi / Photographers: Tomislav Brandt, Davor Kirin, arhiva HVG-a Zamjenica glavnog urednika / Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Vesna Pintarić ([email protected]) Prijevod i lektura / Translation and Proofreading: Milenka Pervan Stipić, Gordana Jelavić, Milena Baljak Grafičko oblikovanje / Layout: Predrag Belušić www.morh.hr www.hrvatski.vojnik.hr Tisak / Print: Tiskara Vjesnik d.d.