As part of the large reorganization of the Croatian Armed Forces in the late 2000s the brigade was officially disbanded in March 2008, reduced to a battalion-sized unit stationed in Petrinja and incorporated into the Motorized Guard Brigade.

The present-day battalion still uses the original brigade's nickname and emblem.

The brigade was initially composed of members who joined from the Interior Ministry's special operations units based at Lučko, Rakitje, Kumrovec, Vinica, Sisak and Karlovac in northern Croatia, as it was originally formed within the Interior Ministry's framework as part of the ZNG, which later evolved into the Croatian Ground Army.

The Thunders' first engagement was in early June 1991 on the Mladost Bridge in Zagreb when they stopped the advance of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) tanks in the initial stages of the Battle of the Barracks.

Over the course of the War of Independence elements of the brigade saw action in Central Croatia and Banovina regions.