Croatian and American companies on possibility of cooperation on construction of a warship

Representatives of leading American industrial companies held meetings with representatives of Croatian shipbuilders and their suppliers on the possibilities of cooperation on the construction of a corvette warship for the Croatian Navy on Monday at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK), reported the Croatian Chamber of Commerce.

The goal, as they stated in a statement, is to strengthen industrial, technological and economic cooperation between Croatia and the United States in the field of defense and shipbuilding.

Multipurpose corvette project

“We see the multipurpose corvette project for Croatia not only as the acquisition of a military platform, but also as an opportunity for industrial development,” said Tajana Kesić Šapić, head of the Industry Department at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce. “Their goal,” she said, “is to include Croatian shipyards and suppliers in international value chains, as well as transfer technology and create new jobs with high added value.”

Kesić Šapić emphasized that Croatia has a long tradition of shipbuilding, highly educated engineers and a strong IT and high-tech sector.

“This means that we have both the knowledge and capacity to participate in complex projects such as the construction of a multi-purpose corvette,” she emphasized.

Strengthening Croatian capacities

The event featured presentations from American companies Leidos Gibbs & Cox, Lockheed Martin and GE Aerospace, which participated in B2B discussions with representatives of shipbuilders Uljanik, Brodotrogir, 3. Maj and Iskra Shipyard and their suppliers.

Leidos, as stated in the press release, has more than 100 years of experience and seven thousand vessels built by its subsidiary G&C Design. They supply more than 16 navies around the world.

“This program is much more than building ships, it is about building Croatian capacities that last,” said Leidos Global Vice President for Ship Design Bill Cowardin. “By building multi-purpose surface vessels in Croatian shipyards, with Croatian workers and suppliers,” he said, “they are helping to revitalize the nation's shipbuilding industry and create highly skilled jobs for generations to come that will last beyond the scope of a single program.”

Maj. Phil Wong, Bilateral Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Zagreb, Military Group Croatia, noted that the U.S. and Croatia have a longstanding partnership as NATO allies, with a significant history of working together on shared security challenges.

“Our forces have stood shoulder to shoulder in demanding environments, trained together in significant exercises, building interoperability that is critical to our collective defense. This partnership goes beyond our military capabilities. The U.S. Navy and Croatian shipyards have a longstanding and enduring partnership and rely on your skilled workforce for critical maintenance and repair,” he said, noting that the U.S. proposal for the corvette design deepens that partnership.

“Such direct support for efforts to modernize the Croatian Navy makes both our countries safer, stronger and more prosperous,” said Wong.

Source: HRT