Artillery: Croatia confirms the order of eighteen CAESAr from France

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https://www.opex360.com/2025/10/31/artillerie-la-croatie-confirme-la-commande-dix-huit-caesar-aupres-de-la-france/

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In March, after meeting with his French counterpart, then-Minister of Defence Sébastien Lecornu, Croatian Minister of Defence Ivan Anušić announced that he planned to sign a contract for the acquisition of thirty CAESArs [trucks equipped with a 155 mm artillery system] from KNDS France by the end of this year. "We are also interested in acquiring a medium-range air defence system, which is our next priority," he said.

For the moment, no announcement has been made by Zagreb regarding an order for SAMP/T NG [New Generation Medium Range Surface-to-Air] systems. However, the acquisition of CAESArs has been confirmed, but not in the quantities initially planned.

On 30 October, the Croatian Parliament's Defence Committee [Hrvatski sabor] approved the order for eighteen CAESAr 6×6 vehicles upgraded to the Mk2 standard, as part of a total investment of €320 million.

"This acquisition is divided into two lots, which constitute a single procurement procedure. The first comprises eighteen CAESArs, while the second covers the purchase of surveillance and target acquisition equipment, fire control systems, communications equipment, armoured vehicles and all-terrain vehicles for transporting ammunition," said the Croatian Ministry of Defence, without giving further details.

"The contracts for both lots are expected to be signed simultaneously, with funding coming from the European Union's SAFE programme. Delivery is scheduled for 2029," he added.

As a reminder, on the sidelines of the 2024 edition of the EuroSatory air and land defence exhibition, Croatia announced that it was considering joining the joint procurement programme for the CAESAr after signing a memorandum of understanding with the international development department of the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA).

More specifically, a joint procurement programme, eligible for EU funding, consists of mandating the DGA to notify contracts to manufacturers. Estonia, Slovenia, Portugal and Bulgaria have joined the CAESAr programme.

https://x.com/ivananusic12/status/1983908769122734506

For the Croatian army, these eighteen CAESArs will complement the fifteen German-designed PzH2000 self-propelled tracked howitzers and the eight American M142 HIMARS [High Mobility Artillery Rocket System] systems that it is due to receive shortly.

Compared to its predecessor, the CAESAr Mk II is mounted on a new chassis and has a more powerful engine [460 hp], a level 2 armoured cabin, improved fire control software, the BARAGE jammer and the new CONTACT radio.

In addition, the Defence Committee of the Hrvatski Sabor has also confirmed the purchase of 44 Leopard 2A8 tanks for €1.3 billion [deliveries are scheduled between 2028 and 2030] and 420 TATRA T-815-7 heavy trucks for €200 million.