Croatia has assumed national air-defence duties using its 12 Rafale combat aircraft. (MORH)

The Croatian Air Force (Hrvatsko ratno zrakoplovstvo i protuzračna obrana: HRZ i PZO) has taken on the responsibility for providing national air-defence duties, with its recently acquired Dassault Rafale combat aircraft now fully operational.

The Croatian Ministry of Defence (MORH) announced that the HRZ i PZO took on this role on 1 January, relieving NATO partners Hungary and Italy who had been performing the duty on a temporary basis while the air force stood up its new capability.

“The Republic of Croatia [has taken] over the surveillance and protection of its own airspace with Rafale multirole combat aircraft as part of [the] NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System (NATINAMDS),” the MORH said.

The MORH noted that the task of airspace surveillance and protection will be carried out continuously, in accordance with all applicable NATO standards and procedures and national regulations.

For more information on Croatia’s Rafales, please see Rafale enters Croatian service

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