of every three to four years (up to 300 Armed Forces members), to lesser contributions to combat groups within these intervals. Additionally, participation in NRF and EU BG, does not exclude the possibility of joining other multinational formations intended for Immediate Response to crisis situations. Contribution to missions and operations under the auspices of the United Nations will be provided through appropriate participation of units, teams and individual members. By the end of 2018, the Land forces will be capable of sending sustainable forces of a Combat group size within Mechanized battalion to the Peace Support Operations. In order to achieve this level of ambition, the Land forces will be developed in a way that 50% of total Land forces is structured, trained and equipped for participation in Peace Support Operations, and 10% of forces are sustainable in operations. Naval forces will develop capabilities to protect sovereignty and to control and protect legal rights and interests of the Republic of Croatia at sea. In the first part of the planning period, the capabilities for the execution of traditional naval tasks will remain at the existing level. Their further development will be planned for the period after the year 2017. Although the focus will be on the execution of tasks at the Adriatic Sea, naval forces will continue to develop capabilities in NATO, EU and UN operations outside the Adriatic as well. Naval forces will improve their capabilities of control and protection of legal rights and interests of the Republic of Croatia at sea in cooperation with other state bodies and Allies relying upon the development of Coastal patrol boats and capabilities of creating integrated picture of the naval situation at the Adriatic Sea. In addition to the mentioned capabilities, naval forces will develop capabilities of counter-mine activities, capabilities for the protection of merchant ships from piracy and criminal activities during navigation and capabilities for naval interception. In the process of developing capabilities of the naval forces, NATO and the EU Maritime Strategy will be taken into consideration in an appropriate manner. Capability of controlling and protecting the airspace of the Republic of Croatia within NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defense System (NATINAMDS) will be accomplished primarily by existing combat aircrafts until the end of the resource lifecycle, with the support of Surveillance, Command and Control System. By the end of 2016, the possibilities to retain this capability will be determined, including a multinational approach to its maintenance or abandonment of certain elements of this capability and searching for the solution within the Collective Defense of NATO. By 2018, the Air Forces will have capabilities to deploy helicopter forces (up to eight medium transport helicopters) for Peace Support Operations, sustainable for six months (without rotation). They will be capable of sending and maintaining helicopter forces up to the size of four mid transport helicopters on rotation basis. In order to accomplish the Level of Ambition, the Air Forces will be developed in a way that 40% of total Air Forces are structured, trained and equipped for participation in Peace Support Operations, and 8% of the forces will be sustainable in Peace Support Operations. In the process of developing particular capabilities, the Republic of Croatia will join the initiatives within the framework of Allied and Partnership arrangements. At the same time, in certain initiatives, depending on the real possibilities, Croatia will take the leading role. When conducting international operations the Republic of Croatia will focus on Joint forces generated within NATO and the EU. Capabilities of the Armed Forces in assisting civil institutions will be developed through the enhancement of institutional capabilities in the Republic of Croatia that will, by synergy strengthen the resilience of the society to disasters and crisis situations, and will be also used in international Humanitarian Operations. Existing capabilities of the Air Forces will be the backbone of maintenance and development of the national capabilities for aerial firefighting. 17