Why Did NATO Member Croatia Just Buy 44 New Leopard 2A8 Tanks? |
This month, the Croatian Ministry of Defense announced that it had placed an order for 44 German-made Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks (MBTs), in a deal valued at nearly €1.5 billion ($1.8 billion). The deal was concluded during the recent visit by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Deputy Prime Minister/Defense Minister Ivan Anušić, following a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin last week.
It is one of the most significant defense acquisitions for the Balkan nation, a NATO member and former Yugoslav republic. It is part of Croatia’s ongoing efforts to modernize its armed forces and shift away from Yugoslav-era equipment and vehicles.
Zagreb will also obtain 18 CAESAR howitzers, 420 Tatra tucks, and anti-drone systems.
“Croatia is gradually abandoning eastern military technology and moving to Western technology, and the partnership with Germany is one of the ways we continuously strengthen cooperation in the field of defence,” Plenković told reporters.
The purchase was facilitated by a European Union