Bulgarian procurement ambitions blend old plans with new projects
TheBulgarian MoD plans to considerably strengthen the army, mainly by acquiring new IFVs and upgrading its T-72 MBT fleet. (Photo: Alexander Mladenov)
Undaunted by previous problems in attempting to acquire F-16s and IFVs, Bulgaria has unveiled an ambitious new set of procurement priorities.
The US Department of State on 4 April approved a potential FMS to Bulgaria of up to eight F-16V multirole fighter aircraft, munitions and related equipment, underlining a broader effort by the European country to modernise its military inventory against a backdrop of growing Russian aggression.
Bulgaria requested $1.67 billion worth of equipment, including four single-seat and four twin-seat F-16s in the Block 70 (F-16V) configuration, each armed with a single M61A1 Vulcan cannon.
The potential FMS also includes F100-GE-129D engines and AN/APG-83 AESA Scalable Agile Beam Radars; GPS/INS equipment; and weaponry such as AIM-120C-7/C-8 AMRAAM or equivalent
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