ZAGREB, 14 Jan (Hina) – The first four US BRADLEY M2A2 ODS infantry fighting vehicles were on Tuesday delivered to Croatia’s army and the handover ceremony took place at the Našice barracks, eastern Croatia.
This is the first delivery and a total of 89 Bradley vehicles, donated by the U.S. Administration, will be included in the Croatian armed forces.
Before the end of January, another four fighting vehicles of this type will be taken over by Croatia’s army.
The delivery of the remaining vehicles will continue for the rest of 2025 and in 2026.
During the ceremony in Našice, Defence Minister Ivan Anušić said that Croatia’s annual allocation for defence has already reached 2% of the national Gross Domestic Product, an obligation imposed on all NATO member-states.
Anušić believes that Croatia will raise this allocation to 3%.
The cooperation between Croatia’s government and the U.S. Administration has resulted in the procurement of Bradley vehicles, Black Hawk helicopters and High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), Anušić said.
Croatia will be the fourth European nation equipped with HIMARS.
These acts of procurement have enabled Croatia to reach the NATO target of 2% spending on defence.
Furthermore, Croatia has spent 29% of that allocation on the equipment and modernisation of the armed forces.
In October, the testing of the first Bradleys was conducted at the Đuro Đaković company near Slavonski Brod and at the military training grounds Gašinci near Дђakovo.
On that occasion, the ministry recalled that 44 of the total of 89 Bradley vehicles to arrive in Croatia were currently undergoing refurbishment at Đuro Đaković. The goal is to bring them to operational readiness by 2026.
The U.S. Ambassador to Croatia, Nathalie Rayes, said today that with the Bradley fighting vehicles, Croatia is strengthening not only its own defence capabilities but also NATO’s collective strength.
She added that this moment is a strong symbol of the growing friendship and cooperation between the Croatian and American peoples.
The agreement on the donation of Bradley vehicles was signed in late January 2022, and the financial value of the deal was USD 196.4 million, with the U.S. donatin being USD 51.2 million. Croatia is expected to pay 145.2 million from 2022 to 2027.
Bradley fighting vehicles were previously transported to the Đuro Đaković Special Vehicles (DDSV) facility in Slavonski Brod for an extensive refurbishment process. It consists of an overhaul of the vehicles’ drive train, installation of new weapons systems and armament, painting, and inspection to ensure the vehicles all meet the highest standards of performance.
