Defence Minister: First 33 Strykers to be delivered to Bulgaria in 2025
The first 33 of the 183 Stryker armoured combat vehicles that Bulgaria is buying from the United States will be delivered in the course of 2025, Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov said on April 14.
Bulgaria is acquiring a total of 198 combat and support vehicles, including 183 Strykers and 15 support lorries.
The vehicles are costing about 2.2 billion leva, being paid in instalments, and Bulgaria is also acquiring ammunition for the Strykers, at a cost of about 188 million leva.
Bulgaria’s Parliament ratified the contract for the Strykers in December 2023 and the agreement with the US for the ammunition in August 2024.
The vehicles, to be used by the army, include reconnaissance and command and staff vehicles, special vehicles for nuclear, chemical and biological reconnaissance, for medical evacuation, for engineering support, transport and evacuation vehicles.
The start of deliveries is scheduled for the third quarter of 2025, and deliveries will continue until the first quarter of 2028. The main quantity of combat and support vehicles are to be delivered in 2026 and 2027, with a delivery rate of 10 vehicles a month.
“The modernisation of the Bulgarian military is proceeding at an accelerated pace,” Zapryanov said.
“Yesterday you witnessed the receiving of the first Bulgarian F-16 Block 70 aircraft, this year we will receive the first 33 Stryker machines for the land forces, the second ship of the Navy is on the water,” he said.
‘The real replenishment of our armed forces with new combat equipment is beginning, especially in the area of combat capabilities,” Zapryanov said.
He said that, in regard to the new weaponry, new equipment, new technologies, “we need not only perfectly theoretically prepared personnel, but also commanders who do not make any compromises with discipline, safety, training and the compatibility of our combat capabilities with those of our allies”.
(Photo: US 2nd Cavalry)
Please support The Sofia Globe’s independent journalism by becoming a subscriber to our page on Patreon:
