Predrag Stipanović (born 1964) is a

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

n rear admiral, since January 2018 serving as the Croatian Military Representative to NATO .

Biography

Stipanović was born in 1964 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 ...

. He graduated from the 37th class of the Naval War Academy () in

Split Split(s) or The Split may refer to: Places * Split, Croatia, the largest coastal city in Croatia * Split Island, Canada, an island in the Hudson Bay * Split Island, Falkland Islands * Split Island, Fiji, better known as Hạfliua Arts, enter ...

in 1986. During the

breakup of Yugoslavia After a period of political and economic crisis in the 1980s, the constituent republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia split apart in the early 1990s. Unresolved issues from the breakup caused a series of inter-ethnic Yugoslav ...

and the outbreak of the

Yugoslav Wars The Yugoslav Wars were a series of separate but related#Naimark, Naimark (2003), p. xvii. ethnic conflicts, wars of independence, and Insurgency, insurgencies that took place from 1991 to 2001 in what had been the Socialist Federal Republic of ...

, he left the

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 ...

and volunteered to join the fledgling Croatian Navy. Stipanović served in the navy during the

Croatian War of Independence The Croatian War of Independence) and (rarely) "War in Krajina" ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Рат у Крајини, Rat u Krajini) are used. was an armed conflict fought in Croatia from 1991 to 1995 between Croats, Croat forces loyal to the Governmen ...

(1991-1995). He commanded missile boat ''Šibenik'' when it fired

RBS-15 The RBS 15 (Robotsystem 15) is a long-range fire-and-forget surface-to-surface and air-to-surface anti-ship missile. The later version Mk. IV has the ability to attack land targets as well. The missile was developed by the Swedish company Saab ...

anti-ship missiles in

live fire exercise A live fire exercise (LFX) is a military exercise in which live ammunition and ordnance is used, as opposed to blanks or dummies. The term can also be found in non-military usage. Military Militaries usually use live-fire exercises as an op ...

"Posejdon 94" in October 1994, marking the successful introduction of that missile type in the Croatian Navy. In 1999, Stipanović graduated from Command Staff College "Blago Zadro" in Zagreb, between 2002 and 2003 he attended U.S.

Naval War College The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associa ...

in Newport, RI, while in 2007 he graduated from War Staff College "Ban Josip Jelačić" in Zagreb."Cdre Stipanović succeeds Radm Hranj as Navy Commander "
, Croatian MoD, 30.1.2015 Between 2013 and 2015, Stipanović held the post of the Chief of the Naval Staff and Deputy Commander of Croatian Navy. In January 2015 he assumed command of the Croatian Navy, becoming its 6th commander since foundation.

Decorations

Order of Ban Jelačić The Order of Ban Jelačić () is the 10th most important medal given by the Republic of Croatia. The order was founded on April 1, 1995. The medal is awarded for excellence in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia. It is named after the ban ...

Order of the Croatian Trefoil The Order of the Croatian Trefoil () is the sixteenth most important medal given by the Republic of Croatia. The order was founded on 1 April 1995. The medal is awarded for excellence in war, direct war danger or in extraordinary circumstances in ...

Commemorative Medal of the Homeland War *

Commemorative Medal of the Homeland's Gratitude Homeland's Gratitude Medal () is the 19th most important medal in the Croatian honours system. The Homeland's Gratitude Medal has four classes, each for the length of service of 5, 10, 15, and 20 or more years. Notable recipients * Imra Agoti ...

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stipanovic, Predrag Military personnel of the Croatian War of Independence Croatian admirals Naval War College alumni 1964 births Living people