June the 20th, 2026 – Croatian companies based in Vodnjan and Rijeka will supply the advanced electronics and console systems for new naval corvettes.
As Poslovni reports, Croatian technology and engineering companies are set to play a significant role in one of the country’s most strategically important defence projects. Croatian companies will be fully engaged in preparing electronic systems and control equipment for new naval vessels.
Companies from Rijeka and Vodnjan will be involved in producing advanced electronic equipment and console systems for naval corvettes, strengthening Croatia’s domestic role in modern shipbuilding and defence technology. The project is part of Croatia’s broader effort to modernise its naval capabilities and develop a stronger domestic defence industry.
Rather than relying entirely on foreign suppliers, Croatian companies will contribute specialised knowledge in areas such as electronics, automation, integration, and vessel control systems. The involvement of companies based in the City of Rijeka is particularly significant. This Kvarner city has a long maritime and industrial tradition and remains one of Croatia’s main centres for shipbuilding, marine engineering, and naval expertise. Local companies have decades of experience working with complex vessel systems, from navigation equipment to communications technology.
Modern naval vessels are no longer only about engines and weapons. Today’s ships depend heavily on advanced electronics, including command systems, monitoring equipment, communications, sensors, and integrated control stations. These advanced systems allow crews to operate vessels more efficiently and respond quickly in complex situations.
The Croatian companies involved will focus on the electronic backbone of the ships: the equipment that helps different systems communicate and allows operators to control and monitor the vessel. The project also highlights a wider trend in Croatia: the growth of specialised technology companies outside traditional tourism sectors. Rijeka, in particular, has increasingly positioned itself as a hub for maritime innovation, with local firms working on marine electronics, automation, and advanced engineering solutions.
For Vodnjan, the involvement represents another example of Croatia’s growing technology sector. The Istrian town has become known internationally for technology and innovation companies, showing that high-value industries are increasingly emerging outside Croatia’s largest cities. Defence projects like this can also have wider economic effects. They create demand for engineers, technicians, suppliers, and specialised manufacturers, helping build skills that can transfer into civilian industries such as shipping, energy, and advanced manufacturing.
Croatia’s shipbuilding industry has faced major challenges over the past decades, but projects involving modern military vessels offer a different direction: smaller, highly specialised, technology-driven production.
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