Croatia is set to buy a squadron of F-16 fighter jets from Israel to modernise its military, after the country’s top defence body backed the deal.
Zagreb launched a tender offer in 2017 to acquire military jets to replace its outdated Russian-made MiG-21s.
Apart from Israel, the countries invited to submit bids included Greece, South Korea, Sweden and the US.
Croatian Defence Council said in statement: ‘The defence council... has accepted that Israel made the best offer and gave a recommendation to the government to decide on acquiring the Israeli planes.’
The deal to buy 12 already used F-16 jets, worth $500 million according to media reports, has yet to be confirmed by the government, but the approval is believed to be just a formality.
Damir Krsticevic, Croatia’s Defence Minister, said: ‘It is a historic decision... a project guaranteeing Croatia’s security and sovereignty.’
The minister has said he expected the first jets to arrive in 2020, and the remaining ones by 2022.
Top Croatian officials have voiced concern over the condition of the country’s MiG-21s.
Media reports said that only four of the 12 were fully operational.
Croatia joined NATO in 2009 and the European Union four years later.
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