Croatia approves $91 million deal to purchase Turkish drones

Croatia will buy lethal drones from Türkiye in an 86-million-euro ($91 million) deal, just days after a parliamentary committee backed the purchase of US-made rocket systems.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the government said it had agreed to purchase the Bayraktar TB2 armed unmanned aerial system by 2026.

It said the deal, which includes six drones as well as various equipment and training of experts, would enable Croatia's army "to successfully respond to contemporary threats".

Baykar is a prominent Turkish defence company specialising in the development and production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other advanced defence technologies.

Baykar's flagship UAVs, including the Bayraktar TB2 and Akinci, are widely recognised in the global defence market for their technological innovation and operational effectiveness.

"New era in artillery missile units"

On Tuesday, the parliamentary committee for defence backed the purchase of eight HIMARS missile systems from the United States, worth nearly $290 million.

The army chief of staff Tihomir Kundid said it would mean a "new era in artillery missile units" in the country.

On Thursday, the government also launched preparations for the purchase of up to 50 Leopard tanks from Germany, a transaction that includes sending some of its older tanks and other military equipment to Ukraine.

The letter of intent, signed by Croatian Defence Minister Ivan Anusic and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius in late October, calls for Zagreb to deliver 30 tanks, 30 combat vehicles, ammunition and equipment to Ukraine, with their value being deducted from the total price for the new Leopards 2A8's.

In April Croatia, member of both the European Union and NATO, took delivery of six Rafale fighter jets from France, the first batch of the 12 it had purchased.