The Croatian River Battalion ( Croatian: ''Riječna bojna'') is an inland brown water naval unit of the Croatian Army headquartered at the Vrbik Barracks in

Osijek Osijek () is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,848 in 2021. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja ...

, Croatia. Located inland on the Drava River, the River Battalion is a component of the Croatian Land Forces and was established in 2007.

History

In its current form, the River Battalion is the successor of three inland brown water naval units established during the

Croatian War of Independence The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between Croat forces loyal to the Government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY)—and the Serb-controlled Yugosl ...

(1991-1995). The River Company (''Riječna satnija''), 3rd "A" Brigade Croatian National Guard (ZNG), established on 28 June 1991, the Drava River War Fleet (''Riječne ratne flotile Drava - RRF Drava'') established on October 1, 1991, the First River Detachment - River War Fleet (RRF) Sisak ''(1. riječni zdrug - Riječna Ratna Flotila (RRF) Sisak)'' ZNG and Second River Detachment - River War Fleet (RRF) Osijek (''2. riječni zdrug - Riječna Ratna Flotila (RRF) Osijek''). For the duration of the Croatian War of Independence, the Croatian river units were tasked reconnaissance, supply, and transport duties on the Drava and Danube Rivers for the Croatian armed forces. In August 1991, boats and barges of the Croatian River Company assisted in the rescue of 1,500 civilians from Aljmas, Dalj and Erdut.

Command and organization

As part of the Croatian Army, the River Battalion is attached to the Engineering Regiment (Karlovac) of the Croatian Army Training and Doctrine Command ''"Fran Krsto Frankopan"'' (Osijek). It is composed of five organizational units: # Headquarters # Command Platoon # Riverboat Company # Mine and Countermine Platoon # Logistics Platoon

Equipment

* OB-91 - River patrol boat * OB-92 - Decommissioned? Serving as a barge tug ''Zibel'' owned by the Danube Lloyd Company, Sisak. * OB-93 ''Šokadija'' (former

Yugoslav Navy The Yugoslav Navy ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, Југословенска ратна морнарица, Jugoslavenska ratna mornarica, Yugoslav War Navy), was the navy of Yugoslavia from 1945 to 1992. It was essentially a coastal defense force with the miss ...

RML-307 ''Slavonac'') - River patrol boat built in 1952 at

Mačvanska Mitrovica Mačvanska Mitrovica (Serbian Cyrillic: Мачванска Митровица, ) is a town located in the Sremska Mitrovica municipality, in the Srem District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The town has a Serb ...

, Yugoslavia. From 1991 to 2001 she was part of the First River Association and is the first ship of the Croatian River Battalion. ''Šokadija'' underwent refit and was returned to the Croatian Armed Forces on 6 June 2003. The river battalion also employs a number of inflatable Arimar boats and aluminum landing craft.

References

{{Military of Croatia Ground Army Riverine warfare Military units and formations of the Croatian War of Independence 1991 establishments in Croatia Military units and formations established in 1991