A new-built facility intended for the accommodation of the member of the 93rd Air Force Base and partner nations force members  invited to administer various international training events was opened in the Zemunik Air Base on 4 June 2018. The formal opening of the facility was attended by the Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Damir Krstičević, by the U.S. Ambassador to Croatia, H. E. Robert Kohorst, by the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Lieutenant General Drago Matanović, by the Commander of the Croatian Air Force Brigadier General  Mato Mikić and by the Commander of the 93^rd Air Base, Lieutenant Colonel Krešimir Ražov.

The facility meets NATO member nations standards. Its opening, said Minister Krstičević, was an important development step for the Croatian Air Force and affirmed the partnership with the United States. “The Croatian Armed Forces are constantly growing stronger, modernised and developed. However the human resources . their members are the essential part, and I am happy that this facility will provide better living and working conditions for our pilots and technicians as well as accomodation for our partners from the United States, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary with whom we are connected within the Smart Defence project“. The Minister extended appreciation to the United States as the key strategic partner for the donations and assistance projects that have contributed significantly to the acquired capabilities of the Croatian Armed Forces.

Extending the appreciation to the Ministry of Defence for the co-operation to date, U.S. Ambassador to Croatia, H.E. Robert Kohorst stated his belief that the Republic of Croatia and the United States would further enhance and expalnd it. “The facility of the kind is a highly important step towards the establishment of an international  training centre here at Zemunik. We have built it co-working with the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Croatia, which proves that together we can do even more. The facility will provide comfortable living conditions for Croatian and partner nations nations pilots and technicians preparing for the future missions in support to NATO forces. The U. S. Ambassador also reminded that the air base at Zemunik housed the 16 Kiowa Warrior helicopters donated by the United States to Croatia in 2016, and commended their appropriate use.

Brig. Gen. Mikić stressed that the opening of the facility was an important step in the  development of the Zemunik Base, which had been recognised as a location with a potential to grow into the main training centre of the Croatian Air Force.”The Zemunik Air Base offers a wide range of flight training amenities and the resources available are used for upgrading the capability of reception of units and ensuring any training content (flying with night vision goggles, alpine flying, flying over the sea) and also boasts the proximity of the Army training range configured for live firing“, said Majo. Gen. ight wraining capabilities, and the resources available are directed to strengthening the ability to accommodate teams and enable the implementation of all forms of training (flying with night-time flying, NVG-Night Vision Gohgles, flying in the mountains, flying over the sea the availability of the HKoV fighter shooting range, “concluded General Mikić. During the visit to the 93rd Air Base Minister Krstičević and U.S. Ambassador also toured the Kiowa Warrior Helicopters. Minister Krstičević commended the Croatian pilots for rapidly  mastering and conducting autonously live firings and rocket launchings with Kiowa Warrior helicopters in day and night time conditions, which “are highly versatile and are used for reconnaissance and control of the territory“ .