Croatia Orders 18 Caesar Howitzers, 15 Serval Vehicles from KNDS

Croatia has sealed a contract with KNDS France for 18 Caesar 6x6 MkII howitzers and 15 Serval armoured vehicles, the company has confirmed.

The agreement was formalised on 8 December. The acquisition is executed through a joint purchasing mechanism coordinated by France’s Direction générale de l’armement (DGA) and financed through the European Union’s SAFE initiative. It includes a full regimental package: 18 Caesar MkIIs fitted with the ATLAS system and Thales radios, 15 Serval vehicles, and all required command, observation, communications, logistics, and sustainment elements.

Croatia’s Ministry of Defence estimates the value of each artillery system at approximately €17.5 million, with the figure covering communications suites, fire-control systems, logistics support, and maintenance services in addition to the platforms themselves, as per reports. Deliveries are scheduled to be completed by 2029.

The signing follows March announcement in Paris that Croatia was securing funding to finalise a Caesar acquisition. Croatia had joined the programme at Eurosatory 2024, but no executive contract had been in place until now.