WB GROUP has signed an agreement to supply command, fire-control and communications systems for a new rocket artillery battalion of the Croatian Armed Forces. The contract will bring two Polish-developed systems into Croatian service: the FONET digital vehicular communications platform and the TOPAZ battlefield management and fire-control system. Both have been used by the Polish Armed Forces and other allied militaries for more than two decades.

The agreement was signed on 10 September at the Croatian Ministry of Defence by Adam Bartosiewicz, Vice President of WB GROUP, and Ivan Anušić, Croatia’s Minister of Defence. Prime Minister Andrej Plenković attended the ceremony. “Croatia is another NATO member to select a Polish command-and-communications solution based on proven and interoperable technologies,” Bartosiewicz said.

The contract forms part of Croatia’s acquisition of a rocket artillery battalion based on the South Korean K239 Chunmoo system. Croatia’s Ministry of Defence signed its contract with Hanwha Aerospace for the artillery systems on the same day. Hanwha is a long-standing partner of WB GROUP, whose systems have already been integrated with equipment for Poland’s artillery forces. Bartosiewicz described the Croatian agreement as a continuation of that cooperation and thanked the Croatian and Korean partners involved.

FONET and TOPAZ will provide the digital command, fire-control and communications layer across the vehicles in the new Croatian unit. The planned installation covers command vehicles, rocket launchers and ammunition support vehicles, connecting the elements needed to coordinate operations and exchange battlefield information.

The agreement also includes plans for cooperation with Croatian industry. WB GROUP has declared its readiness to establish local capabilities associated with FONET and TOPAZ, with Croatian company Končar expected to serve as its industrial partner. The proposed support infrastructure would help sustain the systems throughout their service lives and develop local technical expertise. The arrangement therefore extends beyond the initial equipment delivery to long-term maintenance and potential future development.

FONET provides a common communications architecture within military vehicles. It connects radios, onboard equipment and command systems, giving crews internal intercom services, voice and data communications, and access to external radio networks. Its modular design allows it to work with different radios, terminals and battlefield management systems, so it can be adapted to the requirements of various wheeled and tracked platforms.

TOPAZ connects sensors, command posts and artillery systems within a digital fire-control architecture. It supports the collection and distribution of target information, fire planning and mission execution, while automating the exchange of information between units. By moving target data more quickly from detection to the appropriate weapon system, it is designed to shorten the time needed to conduct a fire mission. TOPAZ can be configured for different artillery formations, reconnaissance assets and communications equipment; it serves as the principal command-and-fire-control solution for Poland’s Rocket and Artillery Forces.

The Croatian programme adds another NATO user of WB GROUP’s command and communications technology and demonstrates how FONET and TOPAZ can be integrated with artillery equipment from another manufacturer. For Croatia, their introduction will provide a shared digital framework for its new Chunmoo battalion, supported by a proposed partnership with domestic industry.