The Bulgarian defense minister Krasimir Karakachanov has announced on February 20, 2018 that Bulgaria will launch procedures for the procurement of new wheeled armoured vehicles and fighters jets.



Bulgarian army BTR-60PB-MD a modernized version of the Soviet-made BTR-60PB 8x8 armoured vehicle personnel carrier (Picture source Wikipedia)

At the Special Summit in Brussels on 25 May 2017 the Republic of Bulgaria, together with the rest of the Member States, agreed to make their own national plans for increasing the defense expenditures to 2% of the GDP.

In June, the Bulgarian defense ministry has announced a plan to spend €1.75 billion on rearmament programs between 2017 and 2029. The programs envisage purchasing new combat aircraft for €750 million, multi-purpose modular patrol vessels for €410 million and military equipment for land forces for €610 million.

Bulgaria's government budget envisages expenditures of €650 million in 2018 for boosting the country's defense capabilities. The budget also envisages €675 billion of expenditure by the ministry of defense.

On February 15, 2018, during the NATO Defense Ministerial at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Bulgarian defense minister Karakachanov has announced a plan to increase military contribution to the Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan, and for co-hosting the exercise Saber Guardian in July, the largest exercise in Europe last year for NATO allies and partners.

According to the website Novinite.com, the Finnish Company Patria could take part in the modernization of the Bulgarian Army by participating in the procedure for the acquisition of new armored vehicles for the Bulgarian Land Forces with its AMV 8x8 armoured vehicle. Bulgaria plans to buy 198 wheeled armoured vehicles as part of a program to modernize its armed forces.

Currently, Bulgarian armed forces are mainly equipped with Soviet-made wheeled armoured vehicles including BTR-60PB 8x8 armoured vehicle personnel carrier and BRDM-2 4x4 armoured vehicle. Bulgaria has also developed a modernized version of the Soviet-made BTR-60PB, called BTR-60PB-MD, with new engine, new design of the hull with side doors and additional protection.