AirVG 25 – Croatian Air Display

All twelve Croatian Rafales lined up at Zagreb airport

Report and photos by Robin Polderman

On the 10th of May, the general aviation terminal at Zagreb’s Franjo Tuđman international airport, once again played host to the AirVG airshow. We decided to have a look and were not disappointed.

Where the 2024 edition of AirVG focused on the last public display of the Croatian Air Force’s venerable MiG-21 Fishbed, this year’s edition celebrated the completion of Dassault Rafale deliveries.

To showcase the Rafale, all 12 examples received, ten singleseaters and a pair of twoseaters, were lined up in front of the public; an impressive sight!

Croatia signed a deal for the delivery of a dozen secondhand French Air Force Rafales in November of 2021, with the final Rafale arriving at Pleso on 25 April 2025.

Zagreb's international airport doubles as a Croatian Air Force base where the Rafales are based.

Foreign participation for static display at AirVG consisted of two twinseat Eurofighter Typhoons from Italy, an Austrian Agusta-Bell 212, and a H145M and JAS39C Gripen from Hungary. 

Another Hungarian Gripen was put through its paces by the Hungarian solo display pilot in the skies over Zagreb airport. The French Rafale Solo Display showed off a new color scheme while a PC-9M from neighbouring Slovenia flew an impressive routine.

Croatian participation in the flying display consisted of solo displays of a Zlin 242 and Bell 206, as well as an CSAR demonstration flown by an UH-60M and OH-58D. Last but not least two Croatian Rafales took to the air to show off their capabilities.

Two rarely seen Croatian Air Force firefighting aircraft, an AT-802 and CL-415, were on static display and sadly did not show off their fire suppressing skills in the air.

The grand finale of AirVG 2025 was provided by the Croatian Air Force's Krila Oluje (Wings of Storm) demonstration team flying six Pilatus PC-9M aircraft.

As was the case last year, the 2025 edition of AirVG was also blessed with beautiful weather. We look forward to the 2026 edition!