Croatian Coast Guard

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Croatian Coast Guard
Obalna straža Republike Hrvatske
Novi amblem obalne straže.jpeg
Emblem of Croatian Coast Guard
Active 2007
Country  Croatia
Allegiance Croatia
Branch Croatian Navy
Role combat against terrorism, trafficking of people, narcotics, Maritime Search and Rescue, protection of ecology, fishing, control of traffic
Size 8 ships
H/Q Lora Naval Base
Commanders
Commander Ship-of-the-Line Captain Ivo Raffanelli
Notable
commanders		 Commodore Marin Stošić (2011.-2014.)
Vice Admiral Zdravko Kardum (2007.-2011.)
Insignia
Coast Guard Ensign Zastava obalne straže.jpeg
Aircraft flown
Patrol 2 x Pilatus PC-9
Transport 4 x Mil Mi-8
Old racing stripes on Croatian Navy's BS-73 Faust Vrančić
New racing stripes

Croatian Coast Guard (Croatian: Obalna straža Republike Hrvatske) is a division of the Croatian Navy responsible for protecting interests of the Republic of Croatia at sea. The Croatian Navy is composed of classical naval forces structured into a fleet and the second part is the Coast Guard that is solely consist of ships with peacetime duties, e.g. protection of ecology, fishing, control of tankers, ballast waters, combat against terrorism, trafficking of people, narcotics and similar.[1]

History and Mission

On September 13, 2007, the Croatian Parliament passed a bill establishing the Croatian Coast Guard. The Coast Guard's mission is protect sovereign rights and carry out Croatia's jurisdiction in the Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone, the continental shelf and the high seas. The Coast Guard will also monitor vessels sailing in the Croatian territorial waters. If vessels are caught violating Croatian or international regulations and disregard warnings by the Coast Guard, Coast Guard ships and airplanes are authorized to pursue them and if necessary open fire, while taking care not to jeopardize the lives of the vessel's crew.

Under the law, the commander of the Coast Guard is a Navy officer who is appointed and relieved of duty by the President of the Republic at the government's proposal.[2]

Organizational structure and equipment

Organizational structure of Croatian Coast Guard:

  • Coast Guard Command
    • 1st Division - Split
    • 2nd Division - Pula

Ships of Croatian Navy under the Command of Coast Guard:

  • OB-01 Novigrad
  • OB-02 Šolta
  • OB-03 Cavtat
  • OB-04 Hrvatska Kostajnica
  • BŠ-72 Andrija Mohorovičić
  • BS-73 Faust Vrančić
  • PT-71 Meduza
  • Tugs LR-71 i LR-73

Croatian part of Adriatic Sea is also controlled by Croatian Police - Maritime department and Harbormasters’ offices (Lučka kapetanija) whose ships are marked similar to Navy ships.

Besides the warships, the Coast Guard has at its disposal two Pilatus PC-9 aircraft and four Mil Mi-8 helicopters of the Croatian Air Force and Defense.

Current fleet status

Four patrol boats currently in service have been upgraded with new radars and stern anti-aircraft gun has been replaced with a hoist for a semi-rigid inflatable. These are to be augmented and eventually replaced by an entirely new class.

Future developments

Construction of the first out of the projected 5 vessels (more to follow later on - it is planned 10) was scheduled to start in 2007, however the international tender for the construction of 1 + 4 vessels was published only on April 24, 2013. The tender calls for the acquisition of a total of 5 inshore patrol ship which are to be 42 meters long, with a displacement of roughly 220 tons and a maximum sustained speed of at least 28 knots. They are to be armed with a 30 mm Remote weapon station as their main armament along with two 12,7 mm heavy machine guns and a MANPADS launchers. The tender was in May 2014 and the construction of the first ship is to start in the last quarter of the same year. As projected, the first vessel is to enter service in 2015, the second one in 2016, the third and the fourth in 2017 and the last one in 2018. Units are projected to cost around 10 million euros respectively (375 million kuna for first 5 ships).[3][4]

Gallery

  • Croatian Navy's patrol boats OB-03 Cavtat and OB-04 Hrvatska Kostajnica

  • BS-73 Faust Vrančić

  • OB-01 Novigrad with old pennant number and racing stripes

  • Tug LR-73

  • A boat of the Search and Rescue Services in Trogir, Spring 2014

See also

References

  1. ↑ [1]
  2. ↑ http://www.vlada.hr/en/naslovnica/novosti_i_najave/2007/rujan/vlada_u_sabor_uputila_prijedlog_zakona_o_obalnoj_strazi
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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