BELGRADE, Serbia 

Croatia on Thursday received the first six of a total of 12 Rafale multi-role combat aircraft from France.

The warplanes landed at Franjo Tudjman Airport in the capital Zagreb nearly 30 months after the signing of a contract worth over $1 billion.

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, and military and political officials attended the delivery ceremony at the airport.

Milanovic said that with the purchases, Croatia received a modern air force with almost the latest technology.

"Those who worked on this did a good job, and there's no doubt about that. This is an opportunity to remember those who were the first to defend the Croatian sky and died in the process,' said Milanovic.

Plenkovic said that the Rafales are changing Croatia's international position.

"Perhaps the strongest in terms of strengthening the Croatian army. With the Rafales, Croatia is gaining a deterrent power that it has not had before, it is strengthening its strategic partnership with France, and this is changing our international position, including our positions in NATO and the EU," said Plenkovic.

The remaining eight contracted aircraft are expected to arrive early next year.

A total of €1.13 billion ($1.2 billion) has been allocated from the state budget for the purchase of the Rafale through 2026.

The agreement between Croatia and France also includes military cooperation, joint air force exercises between the two countries, and the training of Croatian pilots and technical personnel.