The purchase was proposed by the parliament’s defence committee and follows negotiations between the Bulgarian and German defence ministries and Diehl Defence, which took place from 22 to 24 July.
The agreement to be signed involves the acquisition of one IRIS-T SLM fire unit, with an option to purchase five additional units and one extended-range IRIS-T SLX unit by 2032.
The initial deal is valued at EUR 182 million. Part of this cost will be covered by compensation received for Bulgaria’s donations of military equipment to Ukraine in 2024, with more compensation expected as additional donations are planned for 2025.
