ASDA 2025: Saab proposes RBS15 Mk3 anti-ship missile to extend Croatia's coastal strike capability beyond 200 kilometers.

Saab is scheduled to participate in ASDA 2025, taking place in Zagreb from 8 to 10 April. The company presents systems relevant to Croatian defense priorities, including the RBS15 Mk3 missile together with the newly launched Coastal Defense Missile System (CDMS) solution. CDMS, with the RBS15 Mk3 missile, already contracted by the Swedish armed forces, features an ISO standard 20’ container-based launcher unit mounted on either 6 or 8-wheeled vehicle platforms. Among several other benefits, CDMS provides the user with the ability to deploy and silently loiter for extended periods as well as the ability to ”shoot and scoot”(quickly Ingress, engage, and egress the launch point) in less than 2 minutes.
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The RBS15 Mk3 can execute complex, multi-point flight trajectories at varying altitudes, enhancing survivability by avoiding terrain and defeating both kinetic and electronic countermeasures. (Picture source: Saab and LinkedIn/Tove Englund)

The new modular and scalable CDMS, combined with the world class capabilities of the RBS15 Missile, designed for engaging naval threats as well as unhardened land targets,day or night in any weather, provides the naval commander with an unmatched sea denial and power projection capability.

Saab also displays additional systems such as the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), Giraffe 1X radar, Sirius Compact sensor suite, and cross-domain communication tools. These offerings correspond to ongoing modernization programs of the Croatian Armed Forces across naval, ground, and air domains.

The Croatian Armed Forces have long prioritized the renewal of their coastal and maritime strike capabilities, with a focus on upgrading legacy anti-ship missile systems inherited from the post-Yugoslav era. Central to this modernization drive is the continued use and potential future integration of the RBS15 missile system, developed by Sweden’s Saab in collaboration with Germany’s Diehl Defence. The Croatian Navy initially adopted the RBS15 in the early 1990s, acquiring a stockpile of Mk.I missiles that have since equipped its five guided missile boats and three coastal missile batteries mounted on Tatra trucks. Today, 48 Mk.I missiles remain operational in Croatian service, forming the backbone of the nation’s ship-based strike arsenal.

Developed with full EU industrial and political support, the RBS Mk3 is capable of engaging both maritime and coastal targets at ranges exceeding 200 kilometers. (Picture source: Saab)

To extend the service life and enhance the capabilities of its missile inventory, the Croatian government approved a refurbishment program in 2014, upgrading at least 20 RBS15 missiles. These efforts reportedly increased the effective range to approximately 90–100 kilometers and improved resistance to electronic countermeasures. Croatia conducted successful live-fire exercises to validate the upgraded systems, including notable launches in 2015 and 2016 by the Kralj-class missile boat DmitarZvonimir and the fast attack craft RTOP-42 Dubrovnik, during Exercises Joint Force 15 and Harpun 16, respectively. These launches were significant, marking the first firings of RBS15 missiles from Croatian warships in over two decades.

The newer RBS15 Mk3, a product of the Saab-Diehl partnership, represents the next evolution of the system and offers a host of enhancements over earlier variants. Developed with full EU industrial and political support, the Mk3 version is capable of engaging both maritime and coastal targets at ranges exceeding 200 kilometers. Its warhead—comprising 200 kilograms of high-explosive material with pre-fragmented casing—ensures effectiveness against non-armored targets. The missile is designed for multi-platform integration, making it suitable for launch from ships, land-based platforms, or aircraft. This multi-role functionality is particularly relevant for Croatia, which seeks to maximize interoperability and operational efficiency across its naval and land-based forces.

One of the defining features of the RBS15 Mk3 is its advanced guidance system, which integrates inertial navigation, GPS, and active radar homing in the J-band. This allows the missile to execute complex, multi-point flight trajectories at varying altitudes, enhancing survivability by avoiding terrain and countermeasures. The guidance package enables precise targeting even in GPS-denied environments, and its “home-on-jam” capability allows it to lock onto sources of electronic interference. This suite of features provides strategic flexibility for Croatian planners, particularly in littoral zones where both land-based and maritime targets may be contested simultaneously.

In coastal defense operations, the system’s mobility and integration with higher-level command and control structures enable rapid deployment and real-time responsiveness to evolving threats. (Picture source: Saab)

The RBS15 Mk3 is also notable for its modular, ISO container-compatible design, which simplifies logistics and deployment. In coastal defense operations, the system’s mobility and integration with higher-level command and control structures enable rapid deployment and real-time responsiveness to evolving threats. For Croatia, a country with an extensive Adriatic coastline and a strategic interest in safeguarding maritime routes and infrastructure, such features are particularly advantageous.

Croatia’s long-term defense modernization agenda includes not only naval capabilities but also integrated air and land strike systems. In air defense, Croatia has procured the Mistral 3 short-range system from France. However, the absence of a modern man-portable air defense system (MANPADS) presents a capability gap. Saab’s RBS 70 NG could potentially address this, offering an unjammable laser-guided missile system that is modular, vehicle-compatible, and suitable for networked operations. Its incorporation would align with Croatia’s efforts to modernize air defense while maintaining interoperability with NATO standards.

Saab’s RBS 70 NG could potentially address Croatia’s current absence of a modern man-portable air defense system (MANPADS). (Picture source : Saab)

In the aviation domain, Croatia's recent acquisition of Dassault Rafale multirole fighters indicates a preference for French-compatible munitions, including MICA and Meteor missiles. The Meteor, a beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, was developed through a European collaboration involving MBDA as the prime contractor and Saab as a key partner.This missile offers a significant increase in engagement range and no-escape zone compared to previous generation missiles.Its integration into the Rafale enhances the aircraft's air-to-air combat capabilities, aligning with Croatia's objectives to modernize its air force with advanced, interoperable weapon systems.

On the ground, Croatia is reportedly evaluating the acquisition of the M142 HIMARS artillery rocket system. Saab’s Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), developed in collaboration with Boeing, is fully compatible with the HIMARS platform. With a range of up to 150 kilometers and precision-strike capabilities, the GLSDB would provide Croatian forces with a significant expansion in long-range land-attack options. The system’s ability to strike diverse targets from standoff distances complements both defensive and offensive operational concepts and would represent a logical continuation of Croatia’s shift toward modular, high-precision systems.

The RBS15 Mk3 missile is designed for multi-platform integration, making it suitable for launch from ships, land-based platforms, or aircraft, a multi-role functionality particularly relevant for Croatia. (Picture source: Saab)