War Veteran Arrives at Marjan
The missile corvette RTOP-21 "Šibenik" docked at Split's West Coast on the occasion of the 31st anniversary of the military-police operation "Storm," and was visited by the mayor and the county prefect.
The missile corvette RTOP-21 "Šibenik" docked at Split's West Coast on the occasion of the 31st anniversary of the military-police operation "Storm," and was visited by the mayor and the county prefect.
The Croatian Navy's missile corvette RTOP-21 "Šibenik," a vessel with an exceptionally rich wartime history, drew significant attention from residents and passersby this morning at Split's West Coast. The ship arrived in the city as one of the key symbols during the celebration of Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day, Croatian Veterans Day, and the 31st anniversary of the start of the military-police operation "Storm."
After the morning protocol concluded, which included paying tribute to veterans, lowering a large Croatian flag from the facade of the City Administration, laying wreaths, and addressing the press, a tour of the ship followed. Tomislav Šuta, the Mayor of Split, and Blaženko Boban, the Prefect of Split-Dalmatia County, along with delegations from the City and County, members of veteran associations, and other guests, inspected the corvette. During the visit, they learned about its technical capabilities and its storied history within the Croatian fleet.
Initial plans called for the RTOP-12 "Kralj Dmitar Zvonimir" to dock at the West Coast, but a last-minute change brought the "Šibenik" instead. This missile corvette is 45 meters long, 8.4 meters wide, with a full displacement of 260 tons. It can reach a maximum speed of 40 knots and is crewed by about thirty personnel. As for armament, it is equipped with a bow-mounted Bofors 57 mm gun and a rotating AK-630M six-barreled 30 mm gun, and is also designed to carry RBS-15B anti-ship missiles.
The ship was built at the Kraljevica Shipyard, where it was launched in 1977. Originally, it sailed under the flag of the Yugoslav Navy and bore the designation RTOP-402. At the beginning of the Croatian War of Independence, it was undergoing overhaul and modernization at the Šibenik shipyard, where it fell into Croatian hands in 1991. It was formally introduced into the operational composition of the Croatian Navy on September 28, 1991, when it was renamed "Šibenik."
During the Croatian War of Independence, the "Šibenik" carried out various tasks, from guarding Croatia's territorial waters to providing direct support to ground units. It participated in combat operations in southern Croatia and around Šibenik, in Operation "Maslenica," and played a significant role in securing the southern Adriatic during Operations "Flash" and "Storm." It is precisely because of this combat history and decades of service that its docking in Split today carries additional weight.
The appearance of the warship drew great interest from citizens on the West Coast, and the fact that the "Šibenik" was in the city on the anniversary of "Storm" left a particularly strong impression. After the conclusion of the morning program, the central celebration continues with a thanksgiving mass at the Church of Our Lady of Health, followed by a ceremonial parade of veterans who will march through the center of Split with war flags, with final events planned for the evening on the city's Riva.
