Bulgaria raises flag on new patrol ship, 'Hrabri'

Bulgaria marked a historic day for its navy as the new multi-purpose modular patrol ship Hrabri (Valiant) was formally commissioned, the Defence Ministry announced. This is the first warship to be built by Bulgaria’s defence industry in over 100 years.

Speaking at the flag-raising ceremony, Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov said that protecting Bulgaria’s territorial waters and economic zone in the Black Sea would be possible with ships like the Hrabri and personnel dedicated to serving their homeland loyally.

Hrabri is the first of two vessels under the Multipurpose Modular Patrol Vessel (MMPV) programme. Construction began on 3 December 2021 at the MTG-Delfin Shipbuilding and Repair Yard with a ceremony to mark the occasion.

The second ship of the programme, Smeli (Brave), which was originally scheduled for launch in April 2025, was launched ahead of schedule in December 2024. Although the vessel has been floated out of the shipyard, it is still undergoing outfitting and will not enter service until after sea trials and final systems integration.

Editor: Miglena Ivanova
Posted in English by E. Radkova