II. DEVELOPMENT VISION THE MISSSION OF THE ARMED FORCES In accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia, there are three missions of the Armed Forces: the Defense of the Republic of Croatia and its Allies, the contribution to international security and support to civil institutions. The defense of territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence, and the defense of Allies is a primary mission of the Croatian Armed Forces. Therefore, the Armed Forces should be ready: to deter, halt and reject, independently, and with the help of the Allies, the armed aggression on the Republic of Croatia; contribute to the Defense of the Allies in the operations pertinent to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty and to protect the sovereignty of the Republic of Croatia on land, at sea and in air. Contribution to International Security is a mission of the Armed Forces through which they contribute to international security and to the creation and maintenance of the most suitable international environment. This is accomplished by participation in Peace Support Operations, Defense Diplomacy and Arms Control, Disarmament and Prevention of Proliferation of Weapons. Support to Civil Institutions is a mission in which the Armed Forces provide assistance to civil institutions and population in the Crisis Management process and in dealing with different types of risks and threats of a non-military nature. This support is accomplished through the support to the Police and other state bodies, as well as through the support in Protection and Rescue, and the support to civil society. VISION OF THE ARMED FORCES At the end of the development period covered within the Long Term Development Plan, the Armed Forces will be managed, well trained, and equipped, capable and ready to carry out the defined missions and tasks. Imbued with patriotism and faced with the requirements of the 21st century, radically different from the previous ones, the military profession will develop in accordance with the principles of high professionalism, expertise and social responsibility. The Armed Forces are not only the instrument for implementing missions and tasks, but also one of the key elements and an indicator of the identity of state and society. Established in the Homeland War, with a high social reputation based on the successful, historically significant mission of defending and liberating the country, they will with the provision of adequate resources, continue to be one of the fundamental pillars of security, stability and development of the society. The Armed Forces will be developed as an important integral element of the overall potentials of the state, and one of the in- T H E C R O AT I A N A R M E D F O R C E S L O N G − T E R M D E V E L O P M E N T P L A N 2 0 1 5 − 2 0 2 4