Starting Sunday, December 1, 2024, the peacetime mission of Air Policing—responsible for airspace surveillance and protection—will be temporarily conducted from the air bases of neighboring allied countries, Italy and Hungary. Italian Eurofighters and Hungarian Gripens will carry out this task until the end of 2025 or early 2026, according to a press release from the Ministry of Defense.
“The Republic of Croatia will not incur any costs for this service, as it is provided free of charge.” The Ministry of Defense highlighted that other NATO members have also temporarily entrusted their allies with the training of Air Policing pilots and the formation of combat duty pairs during transitional periods.
The Ministry of Defense has previously announced that Rafale jets are safeguarding Croatian airspace sovereignty, but are temporarily not forming a combat duty pair to prioritize pilot training and development.
Following the signing of bilateral agreements (Technical Arrangements) on Air Policing at the armed forces level, the agreements were formalized on behalf of the defense ministries by air force commanders. Until these agreements take effect, Air Policing duties have been carried out by MiG-21 aircraft. However, as of Sunday, December 1, the MiG-21 will no longer be on duty or perform Air Policing operations.
“The airspace of the Republic of Croatia is an integral part of NATO’s joint system for airspace surveillance and protection. In 2009, by signing the Transfer of Authority (TOA) document at the armed forces level, Croatia, along with other NATO air and missile defense forces, adopted Air Policing as a peacetime mission. This mission encompasses air surveillance, guidance, command and control in the air, and the deployment of appropriate air defense assets, including fighter aircraft.”, the Ministry of Defense concludes.
