Croatian Navy to Buy Two Finnish Missile Boats

Croatian Navy to Buy Two Finnish Missile Boats 19 July, 2008: ZAGREB, Croatia signed a 10 million euro ($16 million) deal with Finnish company Patria to buy two second-hand guided missile frigates, national radio reported. The purchase of the two 22-year-old Helsinki class ships is part of Croatia's efforts to modernize its fleet in order to bring it into line with NATO standards. As part of the agreement, Patria is to train Croatian sailors, share technology and provide enough spare parts for the next 10 years. In April, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization invited Croatia to join the alliance, along with Albania. Officials hope full accession will happen within a year. Croatia wants to make its army completely professional by 2014 at an estimated cost of about 1.2 billion euros. Under the plans, troop levels would be cut to 16,000 from the current 25,000. By 2010, Croatia will also be required to raise its military budget to 2.0 percent of its gross domestic product from the current 1.7 percent. Croatia last year paid Patria 110 million euros for the purchase of 84 armored vehicles.