Bulgaria has announced that by mid-December all military units will be equipped with drone control simulators, as part of a broader effort to expand the use of unmanned systems across the armed forces.
The announcement was made by Land Forces Commander Major General Deyan Deshkov during an event at the Lyulyak training ground near Stara Zagora, Radio Bulgaria reported.
The plan also includes the acquisition of multiple drone systems, with several already purchased and being distributed to units, alongside ongoing deliveries of reconnaissance and surveillance equipment.
Procurement is also underway for first-person view and long-range kamikaze drones.
Deshkov added that the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense signed a framework agreement to supply Springfield Armory pistols and is preparing to acquire new sniper systems.
Boosting Defense Capacity
Amid growing regional security concerns, particularly linked to Russia, Bulgaria is stepping up its defense capabilities and international military collaborations.
In October, the country signed a deal with German defense firm Rheinmetall worth over 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) to establish a new production center for gunpowder and 155mm artillery shells.
The project brings together Rheinmetall and Bulgaria’s state-owned Vazovski Mashinostroitelni.
Once fully operational, the facility is expected to manufacture up to 100,000 shells annually, along with propellant charges for an additional 150,000 rounds and roughly 1,300 tons (2.8 million pounds) of gunpowder.
In the same month, Bulgaria also began modernizing its air defense with the IRIS-T missile system, a next-generation platform acquired from Germany to replace aging Soviet-era equipment.
The program encompasses personnel training, the construction of new infrastructure, and upgrades to radar and command systems to integrate the IRIS-T’s advanced digital architecture.
