European Defence News and Discussions

[Hussain]

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[Claudius]

Romania prepares negotiations for Airbus H225M helicopters under EU SAFE funding program​

Romania prepares negotiations for Airbus H225M helicopters under EU SAFE funding program

Romania confirms Airbus H225M and H175 helicopters under EU SAFE financing, allocating €1 billion toward IAR-330 military helicopter replacement.

www.armyrecognition.com

 

[Yommie]

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[Zarvan]

Croatia moving closer to new corvettes procurement​

• Published on 12/01/2026
• By Frederik Van Lokeren
• In News

BIS-91 corvette design by local shipbuilder Brodosplit.


According to local media reports, Croatia might be preparing to acquire two multipurpose corvettes as part of a modernization program for the Croatian Navy.


Frederik Van Lokeren story, additional reporting by Xavier Vavasseur


Croatian news website Jutarnji was the first to report on this topic, on January 6. There is however no official confirmation so far, and no news website reports on which class Croatia might purchase. Earlier, in September 2025, the Croatian Ministry of Defense reported that it was engaged in talks with as much as 12 shipyards from eight countries. The Croatians have also not listed a specific list of requirements that the new corvettes must meet though the focus appears to be on being able to perform multiple missions. With several classes reported to be in the running, the price of the acquisition is reported between 660 million and 1.6 billion euros, possibly depending on the design that will be chosen. Delivery of the first corvette is expected to take place around 2029-2030. There is reportedly also a strong preference to build the corvettes domestically and have the necessary technology transferred to Croatia.


New corvettes to meet new operational needs


The new corvettes are part of an effort to modernize and expand the Croatian naval capabilities. Currently, the Croatian Navy operates a fleet of older missile boats and patrol boats. The current navy is centered on five missile boats spread over the Koncar-class, the Helsinki-class, and the Kralj-class. These are augmented by the five patrol boats of the Mirna-class and Omis-class. These vessels lack the necessary range and endurance to protect Croatia’s maritime interests beyond the Adriatic Sea and restrict the navy to largely littoral operations.

Given these older vessels, with their main focus on surface warfare, the Croatian Navy is in need for vessels that can also contribute in the other domains of naval warfare, notably anti-submarine warfare and air-defense. Both these capabilities are currently lacking in the Croatian Navy which for air defense largely relies on shore based weapon systems and radars.

The new vessels will possibly also play a significant role in projecting power in the Adriatic Sea and parts of the Mediterranean. This capability is significant given the fact that Croatia is currently playing a larger role in maritime energy trade for the Balkans and Central Europe. With Russian pipelines to Europe largely being severed and out of operation due to the Russo-Ukrainian war, Croatia suddenly finds itself in a position where it can play a significant regional role as an importer of energy via the Adriatic Sea and distribute it through existing pipelines to the Balkans and Central Europe. Such an increased role would require Croatia to be more able to provide maritime security for the increased maritime traffic heading to and from Croatian ports. Multimission warships would thus allow Croatia to better defend its maritime trade and be able to contribute in a significant manner to international naval operations and deepening maritime cooperation with other nations.


Political dilemma’s might impact final decision


Choosing the new class of corvettes will be difficult for Croatia. Reportedly, Croatia has the option to choose from several classes of corvettes from different nations, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. According to several industry sources with knowledge of the Croatian procurement project, contacted by Naval News, the corvettes under consideration are known and reported and include:

• the Croatian BIS-91 design,
• the French Gowind-class,
• the German K-130-class,
• the German-Romanian MMPV (to be built in Romania)
• the European Patrol Corvette (EPC),
• the Italian FCX30 corvettes,
• the Dutch Sigma-class corvettes,
• the Spanish Avante-2200 corvette,
• American Littoral Combat Ships,
• the Turkish ADA-class,
• the Turkish Hisar-class,
• the Turkish C92-class,
• the British Arrowhead 120,
• the Israeli Reshef-class,
• a design by Saab of Sweden (with likely involvement of Singapore’s ST Engineering),
• and an unspecified design from South Korea.

The final decision on which class of vessel will be selected will have significant political weight. Croatia finds itself trapped in several commitments, each able to favor a certain class of corvette and excluding others. Croatia on one hand has a close cooperation with France, meaning that the choice for the Godwin-class could further strengthen this cooperation.

At the same time, choosing for the EPC would allow Croatia to strengthen its position in the European Union and allow for closer cooperation with fellow Mediterranean partners such as Spain, France, Italy, and Greece. Croatia is already holding an observer status in this project together with Portugal and Ireland. The EPC program is however still in development and no vessels are currently in production making the timeline for first delivery by 2030 difficult.

The desire to build these corvettes domestically could favor the German bid as Rheinmetall recently took over the military construction branch of the Lürssen naval division. The purchase is still under evaluation and requires antitrust approval but is expected to be completed at the beginning of this year. This purchase gave Rheinmetall four additional shipyards in Germany and several subsidiaries including one located at Rijaka in Croatia. Rheinmetall could thus realistically offer to build corvettes locally in Croatia and complete a transfer of technology

Then there is the case of the Ada-class corvettes which are already in use by Turkey and Ukraine, countries which have good relations with Croatia. The Turks seem keen to win the order, reportedly using diplomatic means and port visits to strengthen their influence over the Croatian Ministry of Defense. A Turkish port visit on November 6, 2024, by the Ada-class frigate TCG Burgazada involved a visit by a delegation including the Turkish ambassador Hayriye Nurdan Erpulat Altuntaş, Turkish Military Attache in Zagreb, Colonel Cüneyt Ali Demirtürk, and the Commander of the Croatian Navy, Captain Damir Dojkic

As for availability, the United States Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program offers a fast solution as the US Navy is retiring these vessels as soon as they are build. This could result in Croatia acquiring two of these vessels relatively fast and probably at a discount as the US Navy is in a hurry to get rid of these vessels.

A safer political choice would be to go for the British, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish or South Korean offers as these are neutral in terms of political weight. The Gowind, FCX30, Avante 2200 and Sigma-class corvettes are proven designs that meet the initial needs set forth by Croatia while the South Koreans can offer modern vessels with a speedy delivery time. Though these three options would be political neutral, they risk preventing the deeper integration and cooperation of Croatia might gain through shared designs of regional allies. Perhaps the difficulty in making a choice that suits both Croatia’s military needs and political need for enhanced maritime cooperation can be the basis on why the actual acquisition of these two new corvettes has been developing slowly in recent months.

Tags

• Corvette, Croatia

Frederik Van Lokeren​

Frederik Van Lokeren is a former Navy Lieutenant, having served for seven years in the Belgian Navy where he was trained in logistics and maritime intelligence. Afterwards he’s been active as a freelance maritime analyst, regularly writing about naval developments on a strategic and operational level. His main area of expertise is the Russian Navy of which he keeps track on his personal blog Russian Navy – News and Analysis though he also keeps track of European navies and maritime developments in the Indo-Pacific Region.

 

[Yommie]

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[Foinikas]

The first FDI HN frigate,Kimon has arrived in Greece!

The Hellenic Navy hadn't had a new frigate since the acquisition of the MEKO 200HN(Hydra class)in 1992!

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Η ημέρα που θα μνημονεύει ο ιστορικός του μέλλον-Κατάπλους νέας φρεγάτας μετά από 28 χρόνια (Ιστορικά φωτογραφικά καρέ & Βίντεο) - Defence Review

Η 15η Ιανουαρίου δίκαια θα χαρακτηρηστεί από τον Ιστορικό του μέλλοντος ως ημέρα ορόσημο για την εθνική ναυτική ιστορία. Oι φωτογραφίες από τη Διεύθυνση Ενημέρωση του ΥΠΕΘΑ και τα βίντεο από την ΕΡΤ. Επιπρόσθετες, φωτογραφίες από την φωτογραφική ομάδα της 11Aviation. Η άφιξη του «Κίμωνα»...

defencereview.gr

 

[Cash gk]

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[SaadH]

Is Europe trying to kick US out of NATO and making it an exclusively a European group? Remains to be seen, highly doubt it, don't have any confidence in Europe's ability to think and act pragmatically much less independently. Trump has thrown out $700 bn offer which he will source by just clicking the print button, an enticing first offer none the less.

Maybe our f@ujeets can sell Balochistan for around $100 bn. But knowing them, will probably settle for $10 bn along with a ranch in Montana.

 

[Musings]

Bro
Do you really see the Europeans fighting with the Americans? Come on lets me real. Not gonna happen

 

[PakFactor]

Bro
Do you really see the Europeans fighting with the Americans? Come on lets me real. Not gonna happen

Nope. Not a chance. The Europeans and others have fed a beast (U.S.) that they have no way of controlling. It's a mistake the Americans made with China, one they are trying to course-correct, albeit unsuccessfully at this point.

It's a lesson people keep failing to read, and it keeps repeating.

 

[RocketLaw]

Europe should deploy 300-500K massive soldiers in Greeland to prevent America attack, just forget Ukraine.

 

[Cash gk]

Bro
Do you really see the Europeans fighting with the Americans? Come on lets me real. Not gonna happen

Brother, this is a crack, and it is getting bigger. The American war machine needs money that it does not have, so it is starting to eat its own eggs—like a snake mother that eats her own eggs when she gets hungry.

 

[Cash gk]

This is first step and differences will go bigger by the passage of time. If right-wing jew president in United States stays long things will be very difficult for EU

 

[Cash gk]

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This beautiful machine received recognition after Pakistan used it in May. Only then did Europeans realize how remarkable this machine truly is.

 

[Foinikas]

In this direction, the Ministry of National Defense and the General Staff of National Defense (GHND) have concluded the equipment programs that are being implemented. The most basic is the procurement of Israeli short-, medium- and long-range anti-aircraft systems (BARAK, SPYDER, DAVID SLING) for the country's air defense, along with the acquisition of a sufficient number of air surveillance radars (ELM 2084) that will be integrated into the Air Control System under the operational control of the Tactical Air Force Headquarters. At the same time, the Army General Staff has initiated the procurement of Israeli PULS multiple rocket launchers (MPLs).

When it comes to the Air Force General Staff, new generation weapon systems for the Hellenic Air Force's F-16 fleet are being studied and evaluated, as well as new systems for suppressing enemy air defenses of Israeli origin. The most characteristic example is new generation air-to-air missiles (Sky Sting). The Air Force General Staff is also looking at new Israeli electronic warfare systems, both ground and air. At the defense industry level, cooperation is being promoted in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Unmanned Speedboats. A key element is the supply of such systems for the Greek Armed Forces, as well as the purchase of systems and new means to counter them.

Η λίστα με τα εξοπλιστικά από το Ισραήλ για Στρατό Ξηράς και Πολεμική Αεροπορία - Το ισραηλινό εξοπλιστικό αποτύπωμα ενισχύεται - Defence Review

Με τον πλέον επίσημο τρόπο οι δύο Υπουργοί Άμυνας Ελλάδας και Ισραήλ επιβεβαίωσαν το άριστο επίπεδο των διμερών σχέσεων μεταξύ των δύο κρατών. Κεντρικό σημείο της αμυντικής συνεργασίας είναι η υλοποίηση εξοπλιστικών προγραμμάτων από το Ισραήλ. Σύμφωνα με πληροφορίες, συγκροτήθηκαν επιτροπές...

defencereview.gr