Let's summarize what kind of armored vehicles are now in service with the Balkan states, formed on the wreckage of the former Yugoslavia.
Slovenia
During the "Ten-Day War" with the JNA, the Slovenes managed to capture over 100 units of various armored vehicles (60 M-84, 90 T-55 and at least 40 T-34-85, BMP M-80, BTR M-60).
Soldiers of the Slovenian TO at the trophy T-55 JNA
The obsolete T-34-85 and tracked armored personnel carriers M-60 were scrapped. Also, 6 amphibious tanks PT-76, 4 BRDM-2, 19 anti-tank self-propelled guns M36 Jackson, 8 122-mm SG 2S1 "Gvozdika", 6 SAM "Strela-1M", 24 ZSU-57-2 were removed from service., 12 Yugoslavian SPAAG BOV 3, 24 M-53/59 "Prague".
T-55 Slovenes modernized with Western help, assigning them the index M-55S. The tank was equipped with an Israeli mounted explosive reactive armor "Blazer" on the turret and on the forehead of the hull, rubber-fabric side anti-cumulative screens, an English 105-mm L7 gun, a modular turret on the Rafael turret with a DShK machine gun, a new fire control system Fotona SGS-55 (with integrated digital ballistic computer, laser rangefinder, SGS-55 gunner's sight with a two-plane stabilizer and atmospheric sensor), observation system for the commander Fotona COMTOS-55, driver's periscope Fotona CODRIS equipped with NVD, two six-barrel smoke grenade launchers with LIRD laser sensors system 1A. The engine was modernized, the power increased to 600hp. The track can be equipped with removable asphalt shoes. A further modification was the M-55S1 with an 850 hp MAN engine.
Slovenian tank M-55S
The M-55S is gradually being withdrawn from service with the Slovenian army; currently, the last 30 tanks are in reserve and are in warehouses.
Of the 54 M-84 tanks, only 19 remained in service, the rest are also in reserve.
Slovenian tank M-84
Also in the reserve are 52 Yugoslavian BMP M-80A.
BMP M-80A of the army of Slovenia
On May 1, 2004 Slovenia became a NATO member. Its army is actively switching to NATO standards, getting rid of Soviet and Yugoslavian weapons. The main wheeled armored personnel carrier of the Slovenian army is the Valuk, which is a version of the Austrian wheeled armored personnel carrier Pandur, produced by the Slovenian company Sistemska Tehnika Armas Doo under license from Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG Spezialfahrzeug & Co KG in two versions - as an armored personnel carrier (APC) and as armored ambulances.
The VALUK armored personnel carrier is available with three options for weapon systems that are installed in the turret:
- heavy machine gun (HMG) of 12.7 mm x 99 (0, 50);
- automatic grenade launcher (ALG) of 40 mm caliber;
- automatic cannon 25 mm M242 Bushmaster, paired with a 7, 62 mm machine gun in the OWS-25 module of the Israeli company RAFAEL.
In addition, the vehicle is equipped with hull-mounted grenade launchers for launching smoke and fragmentation grenades. The crew consists of 9 people - driver, commander, gunner and six infantrymen. The hull and turret provide protection against small arms fire. The machine is equipped with a number of systems:
- automatic traffic control system ADM;
- passive night vision device of the driver;
- additional ballistic protection;
- fire extinguishing system, portable fire extinguisher;
- fire extinguishing system in the fighting compartment;
- collective protection system;
- heating and ventilation system;
- central tire inflation system;
- equipment for external and internal communication;
- awning;
- search headlight;
- smoke extraction system;
- rear ramp with hydraulic drive.
In total, the Slovenian army is armed with 85 Valuk armored personnel carriers.
Valuk armored personnel carrier and M-84 tank at the exercises of the Slovenian army
The further development of the Valuk armored personnel carrier was the Krpan 8x8 armored personnel carrier. Krpan was offered both to the Slovenian army (however, lost the competition to the Finnish AMV) and for export, however, according to current data, no orders have been received for it, and the prospects for this vehicle are vague.
Krpan armored personnel carrier
At the end of 2006, a contract was signed for the supply of 135 Finnish Patria AMV armored vehicles, called SKOV Svarun, in seven different versions. At the same time, most of the machines were to be produced at the Rotis plant in the city of Kochevye, and the planned deliveries were for 2008-2012. However, due to corruption, the contract was terminated. In total, during 2009-2011. 30 cars were received, which were produced in Finland.
Armored personnel carrier SKOV Svarun of the Slovenian army
In addition, 28 Yugoslav wheeled armored personnel carriers BOV-M, manufactured by TAM from the Slovenian city of Maribor, remained in the military police of the Slovenian army, in addition, another 16 BOV-VP in reserve. BOV-M are also being removed from service and transferred to warehouses.
As light armored vehicles, 10 Turkish LME Otokar Cobra (ordered in 2007, received in 2008) are used in the version of a radiation, chemical and biological reconnaissance vehicle.
Slovenian LME "Cobra"
And for reconnaissance - 42 American Hummers (a total of 54 vehicles were transferred) in the HMMWV version.
HMMWV Army of Slovenia
Croatia
After the end of the war, Croatia drastically reduced its army. So, out of 393 armored vehicles, including 232 tanks that were in the Croatian army in August 1995 (the beginning of Operation Tempest), only 76 M-84s remained in service. All T-55 and T-34-85 tanks, M-60 armored personnel carriers and other obsolete vehicles were removed from service and scrapped. On April 1, 2009, Croatia joined the NATO bloc and also began to modernize its armed forces according to the standards of the alliance.
Currently, the Croatian army is armed with 76 M-84 tanks, previously produced in Croatia in the town of Slavonski Brod by the company Djuro Djakovic, and upgraded to the M-84A4 Snajper variant. The M-84A4 tank is an improved version of the M-84A and M-84AB tanks, its valuable acquisitions are a new fire control system, the installation of a better stabilization mechanism for the aiming device and the main gun, and a laser rangefinder. The armor, engine, gearbox, and placement of warheads in the M-84A4 remained the same as that of the M-84A / M-84AB. The M-84A4 can be equipped with two engines of different power. The weak V46-6 engine has 780 hp, and the powerful V-46TK has 1000 hp, which allows it to reach a speed of 65 km / h. The V-46TK is a water-cooled, 12-cylinder, four-stroke multi-fuel engine. The main fuel is diesel, but you can also refuel with gasoline with an octane rating of up to 72 and jet fuel.
It is interesting to note that on the basis of the M-84A4 armored chassis, Croatian specialists made an unconventional prototype of the M95 Cobra tank, equipped with a crane, on which sights were installed along with anti-tank missiles.
A further development was the M-84D variant. It is equipped with a new 1200 hp engine. with. (895 kW) and new dynamic protection RRAK. The M-84D can be equipped with the Samson remote-controlled combat module manufactured by the Israeli company Rafael or the Protector M151 module manufactured by Kongsberg, as well as the Omega digital ballistic computer manufactured by Fotona. The turret is electrically driven for rapid fire transfer, and the new Vulnerable Zone Protection Kit protects the crew from biological, chemical and nuclear threats. Advanced thermal imaging cameras provide the ability to operate in low visibility conditions - at dusk, at night, in fog, smoke, etc. All new M84D and M84A4 tanks are equipped with the latest communication kit from Racal. The range of the M-84A4 and M-84D is 700 km, the maximum speed is 65 km / h. Improvement of the automatic loader increased the rate of fire from 8 to 9 rounds per minute, the efficiency increased by 15%. The ammunition rack is protected by anti-cumulative screens, the engine at the rear is additionally protected by chains. To store additional ammunition, a tower basket has been added, the protection of which is reinforced with anti-cumulative screens. Installed Israeli anti-tank systems LAHAT and laser warning system LIRD-4B.
In total, 4-8 M-84 tanks have been upgraded to the M-84D variant, but all Croatian M-84A4 Snajper tanks are planned to be upgraded to it. In addition, this modernization option also has some export potential. So, the Kuwaiti army planned to upgrade the M84AB tanks delivered from Yugoslavia to the M-84D standard, but since 2007 this agreement was stopped. Iraq also plans to upgrade its T-72s to the level of the M-84D or the standards of Polish and Czech competitors of this Croatian design.
On the basis of the experienced Yugoslavian tank M-91 Vihor, intended to replace the M-84 (within the framework of which only 2 prototypes were built by the Croats, the M-95 Degman tank was created. The M-95 was equipped with a new MSA, BIUS and DZ, created by the Israeli firm Elbit Systems. The tank has not yet gone into production. The M-95 was planned to install a 120-mm smoothbore cannon that meets NATO standards. It is assumed that the tank will be capable of firing Israeli LAHAT ATGMs through the barrel of the gun. In total, two prototypes of the tank were made: the first in 2003, the second in 2007, but its further development was abandoned in favor of the M-84D.
In total, according to a long-term defense plan, Croatia plans to have 2 tank battalions or at least 104 modern tanks by 2015.
Of the 128 M-80A BMPs captured from JNA, 104 BMPs are awaiting possible modernization, plus another 24 - decommissioning or conversion.
BMP M-80A of the Croatian army on exercises
The Croats have developed a version of the modernization of the BMP under the designation M-80A1, on which a 30-mm cannon and a new MSA are installed. An experimental version of the BRM-M80AI and a 20-mm SPAAG M80A SPAAG were also created.
Croatian experimental 20-mm SPAAG M80A SPAAG
In October 2007, a contract was signed for the supply of 84 Finnish Patria AMV armored vehicles, and in December 2008 another 42. Thus, Croatia has received 126 armored vehicles in total. At the same time, only 6 cars were produced in Finland, and the assembly of the rest of the cars is carried out at the Duro Dakovic Special Vehicle (DDSV) in Croatia. Since mid-2010, four vehicles per month have been produced, but Croatia's declared need is 252 armored personnel carriers. Therefore, it is likely that a third batch of vehicles will be ordered. All vehicles were supplied with a heavy basic configuration of the hull - equipped with additional armor (like the XC360 armored personnel carrier of the Finnish army) and are deprived of the ability to swim. Patria AMVs are armed with American M151 "Protector" remotely controlled combat modules, 36 of which will be equipped with Spike ER anti-tank missile systems, and 24 with 40-mm grenade launchers, 24 will be equipped with turrets with 30-mm Spike ER anti-tank missile systems (or Konensberg, or Raphael), the remaining 6 will be armored ambulances and armored recovery vehicles without weapons.
Patria AMV armored personnel carrier with a guided combat module M151 "Protector"
In 2012, the Norwegian company Kongsberg, which produces combat modules, and the Croatian holding company Đuro Đaković (Djuro Djakovic) presented a new combat module for the AMV combat vehicles manufactured in Croatia by the Patria company. The PROTECTOR Medium Caliber RWS (MCRWS) combat module is equipped with a 30-mm cannon and a PROTECTOR M151 combat module with a 12.7-mm machine gun. Thus, the multichannel weapon system has been implemented.
For reconnaissance, the Croatian army purchased 93 Italian light armored vehicles Iveco LMV, of which 10 vehicles were delivered in 2007, another 84 should be delivered by 2017.
In 2007, the US Army donated 12 Hummers to the Croats, another 30 in 2008 and then 30 in 2009, which are mainly used by the Croatian contingent in Afghanistan, but some of them are stationed in Croatia. In 2011, the Croats received 40 new armored M1151s to partially replace the outdated M1114s, and another 13 were delivered in February 2012. Currently in service with the Croatian army, there are 84 "Hammers".
"Croatian Hummers in Afghanistan"
In July 2014, 40 MRAP International MaxxPro were donated by the US Army, of which 10 are based in Afghanistan and 30 in Croatia.
At the same time, the Americans also handed over 20 RG-33s with a 6x6 wheel arrangement.
18 Soviet BTR-50PU captured from JNA in 2012 were decommissioned and replaced by Finnish Patria AMVs.
Croatian BTR-50PU
A similar fate befell 10 MT-LB delivered from Poland during the war.
The fate of 54 Yugoslavian armored personnel carriers BOV-VP and 37 self-propelled ATGM BOV-1 created on their basis is unclear. According to some reports, they have been removed from service and transferred to warehouses. According to others, they are used by the Croatian military police, including in Afghanistan.
Croatian armored personnel carrier BOV-VP in Afghanistan
The further fate of the 72 Croatian-made LOV light wheeled armored personnel carriers and vehicles based on them is also unclear, according to some sources, they have been removed from service, according to others - not.
However, all sources agree that 44 ZSU BOV-3 are still in service with the Croatian army.
Also in service are 9 (according to other sources 12) launchers of the Soviet 9K35 Strela-10 air defense system, received from Germany, installed on the chassis of the Yugoslav army truck TAM-150, which received a homemade armored hull made of armored steel. This "product" was named Arrow 10 CROA1. The complex is currently undergoing modernization and testing, it is likely to be installed on Patria AMV armored personnel carriers to increase maneuverability
The 9 122-mm SG 2S1 Gvozdika captured from the JNA in 1991 are planned to be replaced this year by 12 German 155-mm Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzers supplied as part of bringing the Croatian army to NATO standards.
Croatian 2S1 "Carnation"
