The last Rafale fighter jet arrived in Croatia on April 25, 2025, delivering all aircraft and finalizing the squadron of 4.5+ generation multirole fighter jets from French manufacturer Dassault Aviation.
With this historic milestone, the most important modernization of the Croatian Air Force has been completed. Croatia now operates 12 multi-role Rafale fighter jets, representing the pinnacle of technological and operational capabilities in the region.
It is particularly symbolic that the last Rafale arrived in Croatia exactly one year after the ceremonial reception of the first six Rafales on April 25, 2024, at the Colonel Marko Živković barracks in Pleso. That day marked the beginning of a new era for the Croatian Air Force, and with today’s arrival of the final aircraft, one of the most complex and crucial defense projects in recent Croatian history has been symbolically concluded.
The Rafale squadron forms the backbone of the Croatian Air Force’s capabilities and significantly contributes to strengthening national security, deterrence, and defense capabilities of the Republic of Croatia within NATO. With the completion of the squadron, Croatia not only reaches a new level of combat readiness but also further solidifies its position within the Alliance.
