Bulgaria to buy five more IRIS-T SLM air defence systems

Parliament has approved investment expenditure for the acquisition of surface-to-air missile systems, BNR reporter Daniel Inkov reports.

The project provides for the purchase of five more IRIS-T SLM systems, in addition to the one already planned under the first phase, along with warranty and initial logistics support, surface-to-air guided missiles and additional equipment. The total value of the project, financed through the European SAFE instrument, is around €1.14 billion.

Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said this was a strategic investment in national security, the protection of the population and the country’s critical infrastructure. “We have equipment manufactured in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and we need to catch up. We will also take steps to acquire counter-drone systems as part of this project, with the aim of equipping each missile system with one,” he added.

The first system is expected to arrive in Bulgaria 32 months after the contract is signed.

Editor: Diana Tsankova