Coastal Defence Command (Kingdom of Yugoslavia)

The Coastal Defence Command (Komanda Pomorske Obrane, in Serbian/Croatian) was a branch of the Royal Yugoslav Navy (Kraljevska Mornarica) responsible for the defence of the Yugoslav Adriatic coastline during the interwar period and the Second World War. Its primary function was to provide coastal artillery batteries, minefields, and other defensive measures to protect key ports, naval bases, and coastal infrastructure from seaborne attack.

The Command's organization and resources varied over time, influenced by budget constraints, the perceived threat level, and the overall strategic doctrine of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. It typically encompassed coastal artillery regiments, mine warfare units, and observation posts deployed along the Adriatic coast. Fortifications and gun emplacements were constructed at strategic locations such as the Bay of Kotor, Split, Šibenik, and other significant ports.

The Coastal Defence Command played a role in the brief April War in 1941. Although outmatched by the Axis powers, coastal batteries engaged invading forces. Many units were quickly overwhelmed by the rapid advance of German and Italian forces. Following the collapse of Yugoslavia, the Coastal Defence Command ceased to exist, its assets either captured by the Axis powers or dismantled. The few remaining personnel either joined the Yugoslav Partisans or were captured.