Mistral Air Defense Systems Sought To Modernize Military

The Croatian government has decided to purchase new short-range air defense systems from France, reports SeeNews (Bulgaria).

On Dec. 9, Zagreb announced plans to buy French-made Mistral air defense systems for 72 million euros (US$76 million.

Defense Minister Mario Banozic called the procurement of short-range air defense missile systems a top short-term priority. The purchase would be financed from the budget over the 2024 to 2026 period, reported Defense News.

The deal includes Mistral 3 missiles and short-range launchers with the latest thermal imaging camera, encrypted electronic target identification system and a command-and-control coordination kit, said the government in a release.

The delivery date and quantity of systems involved was not disclosed.

This decision comes after an unknown Soviet-era reconnaissance drone crashed in Zagreb in March after crossing through Romanian and Hungarian airspace.