Until now, only Poland, Romania, and Ukraine had this weaponry in Europe.

“This is a significant enhancement for our army,” Croatia’s Defense Minister Ivan Anušić said on Saturday.

“Together with our main strategic partner, the U.S., we continue to strengthen our armed forces and prepare them for all potential global threats,” he added, as quoted by the country’s state-run Hina news agency.

The defense minister added in a statement published on the ministry’s website that Zagreb “continues to invest in new capabilities of the Croatian army.”

Američki State Department odobrio je prodaju osam samohodnih višestrukih raketnih sustava HIMARS M142 Republici Hrvatskoj u maksimalnoj procijenjenoj vrijednosti od 390 milijuna dolara. Do kraja godine očekuje se potpisivanje Sporazuma o nabavi s Vladom 🇺🇸, a važno je naglasiti… pic.twitter.com/lLwS1XI2aB

— Ivan Anušić (@ivananusic12) August 31, 2024

In recent months, Croatia has signed agreements or procured hardware including French Rafale fighter jets, American Black Hawk helicopters, and the French Mistral short-range air defense missile system.

Military analyst Marinko Ogorec told Croatia’s state-broadcaster HRT on Sunday that “the Croatian army has not been invested in for more than 20 years, so we need almost everything.”

“HIMARS systems are extremely important for Croatia, but they will mean nothing if we do not have well-trained and highly motivated people,” he emphasized.