View source for Croatian Coast Guard

{{refimprove|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox law enforcement agency
| agencyname      = Croatian Coast Guard
| nativename      = ''Obalna straža Republike Hrvatske''
| commonname      = 
| abbreviation    = 
| patch           = 
| patchcaption    = 
| logo            = Znak ObSt.gif
| logocaption     = Emblem
| badge           = Croatian Coast Guard racing stripe.svg
| badgecaption    = Racing stripe
| flag            = Flag of the Croatian Coast Guard.png
| flagcaption     = Ensign
| imagesize       = 
| motto           = 
| mottotranslated = 
| formedmonthday  = 
| formedyear      = 2007
| country         = Croatia
| constitution1   = Coast Guard Act of the Republic of Croatia<ref>{{cite act|url=https://www.zakon.hr/z/503/Zakon-o-obalnoj-stra%C5%BEi-Republike-Hrvatske|title=Zakon o Obalnoj straži Republike Hrvatske|date=28 December 2019|index=125|trans-title=Coast Guard Act of the Republic of Croatia}}</ref>
| speciality1     = coast
| minister1name   = 
| minister1pfo    = 
| chief1name      = 
| chief1position  = 
| parentagency    = [[Croatian Navy]]
| child1agency    = 
| aircraft1type   = 
| aircraft1       = 
* 2 x [[Pilatus PC-9]]
* 4 x [[Mil Mi-8]]
| person1name     = [[Commodore (rank)|Commodore]] Marin Stošić
| person1reason   = Commander 2011-2014
| person2name     = [[Vice Admiral]] Zdravko Kardum
| person2reason   = Commander 2007-2011
| person3name     = Ivo Raffanelli
| person3reason   = Commander 2014-2017
| anniversary1    = August 4
| website         = 
| footnotes       = 
| reference       = 
}}

The '''Croatian Coast Guard''' ({{langx|hr|Obalna straža Republike Hrvatske}}) is a division of the [[Croatian Navy]] responsible for protecting the interests of the [[Republic of Croatia]] at [[sea]]. The Croatian Navy is composed of classical naval forces structured into a [[Navy Flotilla (Croatia)|flotilla]] and the [[Coast Guard]] that solely consists of ships with peacetime duties, e.g. protection of [[ecology]], [[fishing]], control of [[Tanker (ship)|tanker]]s, [[ballast water]]s, combat against [[terrorism]], [[human trafficking|trafficking of people]], [[narcotics]], and similar.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hrvatski-vojnik.hr/hrvatski-vojnik/0512005/kardum.asp |title=U obrani interesa od Savudrije do Molunta |access-date=2009-01-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080314130935/http://www.hrvatski-vojnik.hr/hrvatski-vojnik/0512005/kardum.asp |archive-date=2008-03-14 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== History and Mission ==
On September 13, 2007, the Croatian Parliament passed a bill establishing the Croatian Coast Guard. The Coast Guard's mission is protect sovereign rights and carry out Croatia's jurisdiction in the [[Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone]], the [[continental shelf]] and the [[high seas]]. The Coast Guard will also monitor vessels sailing in the Croatian [[territorial waters]]. If vessels are caught violating Croatian or international regulations and disregard warnings by the Coast Guard, Coast Guard ships and airplanes are authorized to pursue them and if necessary open fire, while taking care not to jeopardize the lives of the vessel's crew.

Under the law, the commander of the Coast Guard is a Navy officer who is appointed and relieved of duty by the [[President of Croatia|President of the Republic]] at the government's proposal.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.vlada.hr/en/naslovnica/novosti_i_najave/2007/rujan/vlada_u_sabor_uputila_prijedlog_zakona_o_obalnoj_strazi |title=Kernel (1) / Error / Government of the Republic Croatia - official web portal |access-date=2008-08-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213222516/http://www.vlada.hr/en/naslovnica/novosti_i_najave/2007/rujan/vlada_u_sabor_uputila_prijedlog_zakona_o_obalnoj_strazi |archive-date=2012-02-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Organizational structure and vessels ==
Ships of [[Croatian Navy]] under the Command of Coast Guard:
*''Coast Guard Command''
*'''1st Division - Split'''
**OB-01 ''Novigrad''
**[[Croatian patrol boat Šolta (OB-02)|OB-02 ''Šolta'']]
**OB-31 ''Omiš''
**[[Croatian training ship Andrija Mohorovičić|BŠ-72 ''Andrija Mohorovičić'']]
**SB-73 ''Faust Vrančić''
**PT-71 ''Meduza''
**Tug LR-71 
**Modrulj 1 
*'''2nd Division - Pula'''
**OB-03 ''Cavtat''
**OB-04 ''Hrvatska Kostajnica''
**Tug LR-73
**Modrulj 2

Croatian part of [[Adriatic Sea]] is also controlled by [[Law enforcement in Croatia|Croatian Police - Maritime department]] and [[Harbormasters' offices (Croatia)|Harbormasters' offices]] (''Lučka kapetanija'') whose ships are marked similar to Navy ships.

Besides the warships, the Coast Guard has at its disposal two [[Pilatus PC-9]] aircraft and four [[Mil Mi-8]] helicopters of the [[Croatian Air Force and Defense]].

==Current fleet status==
The cornerstone of the Coast Guard forces are four former Yugoslav [[Mirna-class patrol boat|''Mirna'' class patrol boats]] (OB-01 through 04). They have recently been upgraded with new radars and their stern anti-aircraft guns have been replaced with hoists for a semi-rigid inflatable. These are to be augmented and eventually replaced by an entirely new class. Coast Guard possess one new offshore patrol ship OOB-31 Omiš built in [[Brodosplit]] which is lead ship in future class.

==Future developments==
{{external media
| float  = right
| width  = 300px
| image1 = [https://skveranka.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/obiljezavanje-25-obljetnice-osnutka-hrvatske-ratne-mornarice-brodosplit-15-9-2016-brodogadiliste-specijalnih-objekata-oob-u-izgradnji-foto-skveranka-1.jpg?w=672 New patrol boat (project OOB 39/42) under construction] in Brodosplit Shipyard, October 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://skveranka.com/2016/08/04/brodosplit-zainteresirao-svjetsko-trziste-prototipom-vojnog-broda/|title=Brodosplit zainteresirao svjetsko tržište prototipom vojnog broda|date=August 4, 2016|website=Škveranka}}</ref>
| image2 = [http://i.imgur.com/p7KqztN.jpg?1 A digital model] of a project OOB 39/42 patrol boat as envisaged by the designer, Brodarski institut. It's bearing [[racing stripes]] of Croatian Coast Guard.
}}
Construction of the first out of the projected 5 shore patrol vessels (additional 10 were planned for later) was scheduled to start in 2007, however due to the [[2008 financial crisis]], the international tender for the construction of 1 + 4 vessels was published only on April 24, 2013. The tender calls for the acquisition of a total of 5 inshore patrol ships ([[Croatian language|Croatian]] ''obalni ophodni brod'', OOB) which are to be 43.5 meters long, with a displacement of roughly 220 tons and a maximum sustained speed of at least 28 knots. They are to be armed with a 30 mm [[Aselsan SMASH]] Remote weapon station as their main armament along with two 12,7 mm heavy machine guns and 4 MANPADS launchers.<ref name="Omis-class Naval Post">{{cite web |url= https://navalpost.com/brodosplit-to-build-four-more-omis-class-patrol-vessel-for-croatian-navy/ |title = Brodosplit to build four more Omis-class patrol vessel for Croatian Navy 
|publisher= Naval Post| date= 4 March 2020 | access-date= 5 July 2021 }}</ref> The tender was completed in May 2014 and the construction of the first ship was to start in the last quarter of the same year. As projected, the first vessel was to enter service in 2015, the second one in 2016, the third and the fourth in 2017 and the last one in 2018. Units are projected to cost around 10 million euros respectively (375 million kuna for first 5 ships).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.defender.hr/republika-hrvatska/oruzane-snage/krenuo-postupak-nabave-obalnih-ophodnih-brodova-oob-1-4.php|title=Pokrenuta nabava obalnih ophodnih brodova (OOB) - 1+4|access-date=14 December 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214193701/http://www.defender.hr/republika-hrvatska/oruzane-snage/krenuo-postupak-nabave-obalnih-ophodnih-brodova-oob-1-4.php|archive-date=14 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slobodnadalmacija.hr/Dalmacija/Split/tabid/72/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/244478/Default.aspx|title=Ophodni brodovi: prototip za godinu dana, a ostali za deset miseci > Slobodna Dalmacija > Split|date=25 August 2014|access-date=14 December 2014}}</ref> However, the first ship (prototype) was laid down in September 2015<ref>D. Vlahović: [https://archive.today/20151023110412/http://www.hrvatski-vojnik.hr/2015-05-22-10-59-20/novosti-iz-osrh/item/1071-polozena-kobilica-obalno-ophodnog-broda.html "Položena kobilica obalnog ophodnog broda"], ''Hrvatski vojnik'', 18.09.2015</ref> and is expected to be launched and commissioned in the beginning of 2017.<ref>[http://obris.org/hrvatska/oob-u-izgradnji-pogled-iz-brodosplita/ "OOB u izgradnji: pogled iz Brodosplita"], obris.org, 06/08/2016</ref> In a TV interview in October 2016, [[Croatian Navy]] commander, [[rear-admiral]] [[Predrag Stipanović|Stipanović]], stated that Croatian Coast Guard would eventually need additional 10 inshore patrol vessels (on top of five planned and ordered) to be fully operational.<ref>Tabak, Igor. [http://obris.org/hrvatska/kontraadmiral-stipanovic-za-htv-o-buducnosti-hrm-a/ "kontraadmiral Stipanović za HTV o budućnosti HRM-a"], obris.org, 14/10/2016</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:OB-63 Cavtat i OB-64 Hrvatska Kostajnica.JPG|Croatian Navy's patrol boats OB-03 ''Cavtat'' and OB-04 ''Hrvatska Kostajnica''
File:BS-73 Faust Vrancic 011.jpg|BS-73 Faust Vrančić
File:OB-61 Novigrad.jpg| OB-01 ''Novigrad'' with old pennant number and racing stripes
File:Remorker LR-73.jpg|Tug LR-73
BS-73 Faust Vrancic 012.jpg|New racing stripes on Croatian Navy's BS-73 ''Faust Vrančić''
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Croatian Navy]]
* [[Port captaincies of the Republic of Croatia]]

== References ==
<references />

== External links==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN47TxHgUPo CCG live fire exercise "Prstac 16"], 2016. YouTube.

{{Military of Croatia}}
{{Coast guards}}

[[Category:Croatian Navy]]
[[Category:Coast guards]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 2007]]
[[Category:2007 establishments in Croatia]]