Croatia Tests Drone-Assisted Mortar Targeting With Kiowa Helicopters
Croatia's armed forces conducted live-fire training combining Kiowa Warrior helicopters, reconnaissance drones and M-75 120 mm mortars near Slunj.
The Croatian Armed Forces have conducted a joint military exercise integrating unmanned aircraft, OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters and 120 mm mortar units to improve target identification, observation and fire coordination.
The exercise took place during the final week of October at the Eugen Kvaternik military training area near Slunj, according to details published by the Croatian Ministry of Defense on November 2.
Personnel from the 2nd Mechanized Battalion Pume operated alongside members of the Croatian Air Force and the Military Intelligence Company of the Guards Armored Mechanized Brigade.
The exercise focused on live firing with M-75 120 mm mortars, supported by reconnaissance and target observation from helicopters and unmanned aircraft.
Kiowa Helicopters and Drones Support Mortar Fire
During the exercise, OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter crews conducted aerial observation, identified targets and supported the direction and correction of mortar fire.
Military intelligence personnel operating drones and artillery observers from the Pume battalion's fire support company performed complementary reconnaissance and targeting tasks.
Joint Terminal Attack Controllers from the Guards Armored Mechanized Brigade also participated.
The Croatian Ministry of Defense said real-time information exchange between participating units allowed mortar crews to achieve multiple accurate hits during the live-fire activity.
Major Goran Šarlija, commander of the 2nd Mechanized Battalion Pume, highlighted the exercise's contribution to operational readiness and coordination between land and air forces.
Croatia Develops Integrated Reconnaissance and Fire Support
The exercise demonstrates how Croatia is combining existing military aviation assets with unmanned reconnaissance capabilities to support conventional ground-based weapons.
Rather than operating independently, drones and helicopters contributed to a shared targeting process involving observation, target identification and correction of mortar fire.
The use of multiple reconnaissance platforms can provide commanders with additional information during fire support missions and improve coordination between dispersed units.
However, the ministry did not identify the specific drone models used, disclose engagement distances or announce the acquisition of new equipment in connection with the exercise.
The activity was a military training event rather than a demonstration of a newly acquired weapons system.
For Croatia's armed forces, exercises of this type support the integration of unmanned systems into existing command structures and conventional fire support operations.
The latest training also reflects the increasing importance of information exchange between land forces, military aviation and unmanned reconnaissance units in modern military operations.
