Bulgaria’s Parliament approves 182M euro surface-to-air missile system project
Bulgaria’s National Assembly voted on August 8 to approve a proposal tabled by the caretaker government for the acquisition of Diehl Defence surface-to-air missile systems, with a medium-range system to be bought at the first stage of the project for about 182 million euro.
The vote was 133 in favour, 45 against, with two abstentions.
Votes in favour came from GERB-UDF, We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, three Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) MPs, ITN and 12 MPs who are not members of a parliamentary group.
The votes against came from pro-Kremlin party Vuzrazhdane and 12 MPs who are not members of a parliamentary group, while two BSP MPs abstained.
The project arises from meetings in July with representatives of Germany’s Defence Ministry and German firm Diehl Defence, the chosen contractor.
The first stage of the project will last 39 months counting from the conclusion of the contract, while further stages will depend on available funding.
The project involves Diehl Defence’s IRIS-T fire control unit, with an option for five more at a later stage, and is in the framework of the European Sky Shield initiative.
Diehl Defence developed the surface-launched IRIS-T SL, an upgraded version of the IRIS-T missile equipping fighter aircraft of numerous countries worldwide, for the Bundeswehr´s Tactical Air Defence System (TLVS).
In combination with various radar and command systems, IRIS-T SL offers the capabilities and benefits of an advanced air defence system, according to the manufacturer.
An entire IRIS-T SLM system was tested successfully for the first time in 2014 in the presence of international representatives, Diehl Defence said on its website.
(Photo: Diehl Defence)
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