Sign of the times: Bulgarian shipyard cuts first steel on MMPVs
A ceremony was held on 3 December at the MTG Dolphin shipyard in Varna to mark steel being cut for the first of two new Bulgarian Navy MMPVs. (Photo: MTG Dolphin)
Construction of two new 90m-long modular multimission patrol vessels is just one aspect of naval modernisation in Bulgaria.
In a further sign that the Bulgarian Navy is moving away from reliance on ageing Soviet-era platforms, the MTG Dolphin shipyard in Varna is building two new Multipurpose Modular Patrol Vessels (MMPVs) after first steel was cut in a ceremony on 3 December.
The two vessels are being built under a November 2020 deal between the Bulgarian MoD and German shipbuilder Lürssen Werft, which established a Bulgarian subsidiary called NVL.
Importantly for RAdm Kiril Mihaylov, Commander of Bulgarian Naval Forces, the MMVPs are designed to operate within the framework of the NATO alliance or as part of EU missions, enabling
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Eurosatory 2026: Schiebel’s frigate-first strategy indicates a shift in UAV competition]()
Eurosatory 2026: Schiebel’s frigate-first strategy indicates a shift in UAV competition
Schiebel is pursuing opportunities in the UK and France while leveraging its integration with Naval Group’s FDI frigate programme to create new naval business across Europe.
-
![Eurosatory 2026: Red Cat eyes South American market for USV-led EEZ surveillance]()
Eurosatory 2026: Red Cat eyes South American market for USV-led EEZ surveillance
Success with the US Army’s Black Widow programme may have strengthened Red Cat’s international position, but executives believe the next growth opportunity lies in uncrewed surface vessels.
-
![US weighs offshore warship production due to industrial limits]()
US weighs offshore warship production due to industrial limits
A Pentagon push to procure warships from Japanese and South Korean shipyards could reshape allied naval industrial strategy, but critics warn the approach risks hollowing out the domestic base Washington is seeking to restore.
-
![Lessons shaping the next phase of Arleigh Burke production post-Flight IIA]()
Lessons shaping the next phase of Arleigh Burke production post-Flight IIA
The accelerated delivery of the final Flight IIA destroyer, USS Patrick Gallagher, showcases the payoff of years of workforce investment and process reform at Bath Iron Works, with the lessons feeding into Flight III production.
