On Tuesday, Parliament's Defence Committee unanimously approved the procurement of eight High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) worth almost 290 million US dollars.

The Committee meeting was also attended by the Chief of Defence Staff, Tihomir Kundid, who had not taken part in the previous Committee meetings on the NATO mission “Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine” (NSATU), as President and Commander-in-Chief Zoran Milanovic had forbidden him to attend.

“With HIMARS, the armed forces will gain a new capability that they did not have before, namely to carry out precise and effective long-range missile attacks,” Kundid said as he spoke about the procurement of the system, which was the first item on the agenda and after which he left the meeting.

Olujic: Other elements of missile artillery need to be replaced or upgraded

Kundid also said that the system heralds a new era for artillery and missile units, as it is the most accurate and effective system compared to other systems.

Defence Minister Ivan Anusic said the package includes eight HIMARS launchers and 394 missiles, as well as other products, services, training and logistical support necessary for the effective functioning of the system.

The system will be delivered in 2028, he said, adding that only three other European countries – Romania, Poland and Ukraine – currently have this system.

The defence advisor to President Zoran Milanovic, Ivica Olujic, said that President Milanovic has so far given a positive opinion in all cases of equipment procurements aimed at strengthening the capabilities of the armed forces, including for HIMARS.

Missiles were once manufactured in Croatia

“This is a strong instrument of deterrence, but the procurement of eight systems can by no means replace all the armed forces’ needs for missile artillery,” Olujic said, adding that other elements of missile artillery need to be replaced or upgraded.

Rockets used to be produced in Croatia and more efforts should be made to resume this production, he said.

The members of the parliamentary majority sitting on the Committee praised the modernisation of the armed forces.

Committee member Josip Jurcevic, an independent MP, wanted to know the range of the missiles to be procured. Anusic replied that the range was 80 kilometres, but could be increased to up to 500 kilometres.