Under the agreement, General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) will supply 183 Stryker armoured vehicles, totaling a value of USD 1.2 billion, with the exclusion of VAT. Additionally, the parliament has sanctioned the acquisition of specialized trucks to support the land forces. The initial delivery of the armoured vehicles is slated for the third quarter of 2025, with the main tranche expected to be distributed over the subsequent two years at a rate of ten per month. The completion of deliveries is anticipated by the first quarter of 2028.
The forthcoming year is poised to see the Bulgarian defence ministry enter into two further agreements with the United States. The first, a USD 65 million contract, will focus on artillery and small arms procurement. The second agreement, valued at USD 101 million, will secure the purchase of Javelin anti-tank guided missiles, produced by the defence conglomerates Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.
As part of its commitment to NATO, and in line with the alliance’s minimum spending targets, the Bulgarian government announced plans to incrementally raise its military expenditure. From the current 1.88% of the forecasted GDP for 2023, the spending is set to reach the NATO threshold of 2% of GDP in the following year. This aligns with the country’s macroeconomic projections, which anticipate a GDP growth reaching 205.8 billion levs in 2024.
