List of modern equipment of the Bulgarian Land Forces

Small arms

Sidearms


Model	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
SIG Pro	United States	Handgun	9×19mm Parabellum	Production in United States. Used by Bulgarian Military Police and SKSO (special forces)
Arcus 98DA	Belgium Bulgaria	Handgun	9×19mm Parabellum
Makarov	Bulgaria	Handgun	9×18mm	Local production and standard issue to Army. The Army said that they plan on replacing the Makarov pistol. Copy pistols were produced from 1960. Arsenal 10 produced them between 1970 and 2007. Can be recognised through "((10))" arsenal markings, straight hammer serrations, slim star grip shells .^[1]

Assault rifles


Model	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
AR-M1	Bulgaria	Assault rifle	7.62x39	Standard issue infantry rifle of the Bulgarian Army.All to be modernized by 2025^[2]^[3]
AKS-74U	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Personal defense weapon	5.45×39mm	Used by Bulgarian Military Police. Produced locally.
Heckler & Koch G36	Germany	Assault rifle	5.56×45mm NATO	Standard assault rifle of Military Police
Steyr AUG	Austria	Assault rifle	5.56×45mm NATO	Special forces only. In limited use with the 101st Alpine Regiment.^{[citation needed]}
AR-M4SF	Bulgaria	Assault rifle	5.56×45mm NATO	Carbine rifle made by Arsenal Jsco and used by the Joint Special Operations Command
AKM	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Assault rifle	7.62×39mm	Produced locally and in reserve.^[1]^[4]

Submachine guns


Model	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
Arsenal Shipka	Bulgaria	Submachine gun	9×18mm Makarov 9×19mm Parabellum	Standard issue submachine gun of army.
Heckler & Koch MP5	Germany	Submachine gun	9×19mm Parabellum	Used by Bulgarian Special Forces and Military Police.
FB PM-63	Poland	Submachine gun	9×18mm Makarov	Used by Bulgarian Special Forces^{[citation needed]}.

Sniper rifles


Model	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
Barrett M82	United States	Anti-materiel rifle	.50 BMG	Used by Bulgarian Special Forces
Blaser R93 Tactical	Germany	Sniper rifle	7.62×51mm NATO
Heckler & Koch MSG90	Germany	Sniper rifle	7.62×51mm NATO
Heckler & Koch PSG1	Germany	Semi-automatic sniper rifle	7.62×51mm NATO	PSG-1A1 variates and used by Military Police of Bulgarian Land Forces.
Dragunov sniper rifle	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Semi-automatic sniper rifle, designated marksman rifle	7.62×54mmR	Produced locally.^[1]

Machine guns

Model	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
NSV	Bulgaria	Heavy machine gun	12.7×108mm	Standard issue heavy machine gun of the Bulgarian Army and Produced by Arsenal ^[5]
M240	United States	General-purpose machine gun	7.62×51mm NATO	Used by the Bulgarian Special Forces.^[6]
PK	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Universal machine gun	7.62×54mmR	Used by Special forces and Regular units, Produced locally. PK/PKM copies were produced as the MG-1 & MG-1M.^[1]^[7]
RPK	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Light machine gun Squad automatic weapon	7.62×39mm M43	Produced locally by Arsenal as the LMG in three different calibers, 7.62×39mm, 5.45×39mm and 5.56×45mm NATO. A folding stock variant is known as the LMG-F.^[1]^[8]^[9]^[10]

Anti-tank weapons


Model	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
RPG-22	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Light anti-tank weapon	High-explosive anti-tank with penetration of 400 mm versus RHA	Produced locally at VMZ Sopot.^[11]
SPG-9	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Recoilless gun Anti-tank gun	73 mm (2.87 in) smoothbore^[12]	Produced locally as SPG-9DNM
RPG-7	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Rocket-propelled grenade launcher	40 mm	Produced locally by Arsenal Corporation as ATGL-L.^[13]

Mortars


Model	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
M6-211 Mortar	Bulgaria	Light mortar	60mm	Produced locally.
M8 Mortar	Bulgaria	Medium mortar	81mm	Produced locally.
M82	Soviet Union	Medium mortar	82mm	^[14]
2S12 Sani	Soviet Union	Heavy mortar	120mm	^[14]

Other small arms


Model	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
Mk 19 grenade launcher	United States	Automatic grenade launcher	40 mm grenade	Used on the M1117
AGS-30	Russia Bulgaria	Automatic grenade launcher	30mm grenade	30×25mm grenade launchers, AGS-17 derivate by Arsenal JSCo
FN 303	United States	Semi-automatic less-lethal riot gun	17.3 mm (0.68 in)	In use with the Land Forces and the Military Police.^[15]
UBGL-M7	Bulgaria	Grenade launcher	40mm caseless grenade	Underbarrel grenade launcher by Arsenal JSCo.
UBGL-M6	Bulgaria	Grenade launcher	40mm caseless grenade	Underbarrel grenade launcher by Arsenal JSCo.
GP-25	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Grenade launcher	40mm caseless grenade	Produced locally by Arsenal AD as the UBGL^[16] and the UBGL-1.^[17]

Anti-tank guided missiles


Model	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
FGM-148 Javelin	United States	Fire-and-forget Anti-tank guided missile	127 mm	420 on order. To be used on the turret of the Stryker Dragoon.
9M117 Bastion	Soviet Union	Laser beam riding anti-tank missile	100 mm projectile
9K115 Metis	Soviet Union	Anti-tank missile	High-explosive anti-tank shaped charge
9K114 Shturm	Soviet Union	Anti-tank missile	High-explosive anti-tank shaped charge
9M113 Konkurs	Soviet Union	Anti-tank missile	9N131 high-explosive anti-tank
9K111 Fagot	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Anti-tank missile	High-explosive anti-tank warhead	Produced locally.
9M14 Malyutka	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Anti-tank missile	High-explosive anti-tank	Produced locally and in reserve.

Man-portable air defense systems


Model	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
9K38 Igla	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Man-portable air-defense systems	1.17 kg (2.6 lb) with 390 g (14 oz) explosive	Produced locally
9K34 Strela-3	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Man-portable air-defense systems	1.15 kg directed-energy blast fragmentation warhead (Strela-2M), 370 g HE content	Produced locally and in reserve.
9K32 Strela-2	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Man portable surface-to-air missile launcher	1.15 kg directed-energy blast fragmentation warhead (Strela-2M), 370 g HE content	Produced locally and in reserve.

Armoured and utility vehicles

Model	Image	Origin	Variant	In service	Details
Tanks
T-72		Soviet Union	T-72M T-72M1 T-72M2	90^[18]	Possibly 250+ in-store.^[19] In 2023, the Bulgarian Armed Forces received 44 T-72M/M1s modified by the state companies TEREM and Elbit.^[20]^[21] Some T-72M1s were purchased by Czechia and delivered to Ukraine.^[22]

Armoured fighting vehicles
Name	Origin	Type	Variant	In service	Photo	Notes
BMP-23/30	Bulgaria Soviet Union	Infantry fighting vehicle	BMP-23 BMP-23D BRM-23 BMP-30	70^[23]		Locally designed infantry fighting vehicle with a 23-mm automatic cannon, 9K111 Fagot anti-tank guided missile launchers with a total of six missiles and an SA-7 Grail man-portable air-defense systems.
Stryker	United States	Armoured fighting vehicle	XM1296 M1126 M1132 M1130 M1133 M1135	0/184		Bulgaria has ordered 184 Stryker and Dragoon armored vehicles. They will be additionally armored, equipped with Mk44 Bushmaster II gun, anti-tank missiles such as FGM-148 Javelin and communication systems. To be delivered in 2025. ^[24] ^[25]
BMP-1	Soviet Union	Infantry fighting vehicle	BMP1P	90^[26]		Soviet tracked Infantry Fighting Vehicle with a 73-mm smoothbore gun.
BTR-60	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Armoured personnel carrier	BTR60PB	20^[27]		Modernised to the BTR-60PB-MD1 standards. Possibly 500 in store. Produced locally. 100 will be delivered to Ukraine.^[22]
MT-LB / MT-LBu	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Armoured personnel carrier	MT-LB	100^[28]		Possibly 600 in store. Light multi-purpose vehicle; mostly used as an armoured personnel carrier. Produced locally.
BRDM-2	Soviet Union	Scout car	BRDM-2	12^[14]		Armoured scout car. 200 in reserve.
9P148 "Konkurs"	Soviet Union	Anti-tank vehicle		24^[29]		Anti-tank vehicle based around the BRDM-2 with five AT-5 Spandrel missiles
IAG Guardian	United Arab Emirates Bulgaria	MRAP	Guardian Xtreme 4x4	45^[30]		The armoured tactical vehicles are made by the SAMARM JV between Bulgarian manufacturer Samel 90 and UAE-based International Armored Group.
Toyota Land Cruiser 79	United Arab Emirates Bulgaria Japan	Armored Pickup truck, Combat Ambulance, Light Recon Vehicle,		44		Manufactured by International Armored Group. In use with the Joint Special Operations Command. Armed with a PKM machine gun
Mercedes-Benz G-Class	Austria West Germany	Armoured jeep		300^[14]		A contract has been signed with Germany for additional 300 4x4 armoured G 280 CDi and non-armoured G 270 CDi jeep; partially armed with locally produced PKM machine guns
UAZ-469	Soviet Union	Patrol vehicle		700		Off-road military light utility vehicle
Plasan Sand Cat	Israel	Patrol vehicle		27^[31]		4x4 armoured patrol vehicle used by the Military Police service
M1117	United States	Patrol vehicle		17^[14]		4x4 multi-purpose armoured patrol vehicle
Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck	United States	8x8 Tactical Truck	M1120A4 LHS M984A5 Wrecker M978A4 Fuel Servicing truck	0/15		Bulgaria ordered 3 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) Light Equipment Transports; 3 M1120A4 HEMTT Load Handling Systems; 3 M984A4 Wrecker HEMTTs and 6 M978A4 HEMTT Fuel Servicing Trucks wtih the Stryker vehicles. To be delivered in 2025
Mercedes-Benz Zetros	Germany	Off-road truck for extreme operations		335^[14]		As of 2012, it operates 335 trucks with 30 more on order

Artillery and air defense

Name	Origin	Type	In service	Notes
Artillery
SS-21 Scarab-A	Soviet Union	Tactical ballistic missile	18	The only remaining ballistic missile system from the now-disbanded Rocket Forces; 8 TELs and a classified quantity of missiles are in service.
BM-21	Soviet Union	Multiple rocket launcher	24^[14]	122-mm multiple-launch rocket system. Over 200 in reserve. Some BM-21s were purchased by Czechia and delivered to Ukraine.^[22]
2S1 Gvozdika	Soviet Union	Self-propelled howitzer	48^[14]	122-mm self-propelled howitzer (possibly 500 in store) Some 2S1s were purchased by Czechia and delivered to Ukraine.^[22]
D-20	Soviet Union	Howitzer	24^[32]	152-mm towed howitzer; principal heavy artillery piece of the Bulgarian Army. Some D-20s were purchased by Czechia and delivered to Ukraine.^[22]
MT-12	Soviet Union	Anti-tank gun	126^[33]	100-mm anti-tank gun, now used mostly as conventional HE artillery
D-44	Soviet Union	Field gun	150^[34]	85-mm field gun. All of them are in reserve.
Air defense
S-300	Soviet Union	Surface-to-air missile system	10^[14]	Ten S-300 launchers, divided into two units with five launchers each.
SA-8 Gecko	Soviet Union	Surface-to-air missile system	24^[14]	Highly mobile short-range surface-to-air missile system with 15 km range
SA-6 Gainful	Soviet Union	Surface-to-air missile system	20^[14]	Mobile surface-to-air missile system is a Soviet low to medium-level air defense system designed to protect ground forces from air attack.
SA-13 Gopher	Soviet Union	Surface-to-air missile system	20	Short-range battlefield surface-to-air missile system with 5 km range
S-200	Soviet Union	Surface-to-air missile system	10^[14]	Long-range high-altitude surface-to-air missile system with 300 km range
S-75 Dvina	Soviet Union	Surface-to-air missile system	18	High-altitude surface-to-air missile system with 45 km range In reserve
S-125 Neva/Pechora	Soviet Union	Surface-to-air missile system	32^[14]	Low-altitude surface-to-air missile system with 35 km range
ZU-23-2	Soviet Union	AA gun	128	Most ZU-23-2s in Bulgarian service are mounted on ZIL-131 trucks.
S-60	Soviet Union	AA gun	N/A	57-mm towed aa gun.^[35]
Radar
P-14	Soviet Union	2D VHF Radar		2-dimensional air search radar.^[36]
P-18	Soviet Union	2D VHF Radar		2-dimensional air search radar^[36]
P-35/37MV1 Khristo	Soviet Union	2D E band/F band		P-37MV1 Bar Lock Upgrade^[36]
ST-68U	Soviet Union	3D radar		Used on the S-300 system^[36]

Unmanned aerial vehicles


Name	Origin	Type	Details
Aerosonde Mk4.7	United States	Surveillance/Reconnaissance UAV	The Aerosonde Mk 4.7 was developed for aerial reconnaissance, surveillance, obtaining information on ground and moving targets. The system can also be used as a means of conducting reconnaissance of artillery targets.^[37]
AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven	United States	Surveillance/Reconnaissance UAV	The RQ-11 Raven is a small hand-launched remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicle.The Bulgarian Land Forces operate the RQ-11 since 2015.^[38]

Potential/future acquisitions


Name	Origin	Type	Quantity	Image	Details
New 9x19 pistols	Unknown	Handgun	Unknown	Heckler & Koch VP9 (Picture is illustrative	There is a project to buy a new handgun which would replace the Makarov as the standard issue pistol of the Bulgarian Land Forces.^[39]
Reconnaissance Drones	Greece Israel	Tactical reconnaissance UAV	14	Picture is illustrative	Bulgaria's Ministry of Defence invited 24 companies in the country and abroad to bid to supply 14 tactical reconnaissance drones for military use. The first lot involves the supply of 12 mini drone systems, and the second lot involves delivery of 2 small UAVs.In the end, a Greek company based in Athens was ranked first for the delivery of the 12 mini drone systems. A company from Israel has been selected to supply 2 small UAVs.^[40]
New Artillery Systems	Yet to be decided.	155 mm Self propelled howitzer	24-36	Picture is illustrative	The Bulgarian Ministry of Defence plans to acquire new 155 mm artillery systems.Some of the requirements are for the artillery to be wheeled for mobility and to have an armored hull. The favorites for this project are CAESAR by Nexter Systems and ATMOS 2000 by Elbit Systems.^[41]^[42]
NASAMS(or other system which can utilize the AIM-9X Sidewinder).	Norway United States or other.	Surface-to-air missile systems able to utilize AIM-9X Sidewinder	Unknown	Picture is illustrative	The Bulgarian Ministry of Defence plans to acquire Surface-to-air missile systems which can utilize the AIM-9X Sidewinders which are going to be used by the Bulgarian Air Force's F-16 Block 70s.^[43]
New Medium to Long Range Surface-to-air missiles	Germany Italy Sweden France Greece Spain Norway Or Other	Medium	Unknown	IRIS-T SLM	New Medium to Long Range Surface to Air Missiles are in the priority range of the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence's Modernization program until 2032.^[44] The IRIS-T SLM is the likely choice as Bulgaria joined the European Sky Shield Initiative.^[45]
New 3D radars	Israel United States Spain France Italy	Early warning radar	5 stationary and 2 mobile	Picture of the Israeli proposal-The ELM-2084.	The companies that are participating in the competition are Israeli company Elta Systems, US company Lockheed Martin, Spanish company Indra Sistemas, French company Thales Group and Italian company Leonardo S.p.A.. The radars will be used by the Bulgarian Air Force.^[46]
RBS 15 Mk.3	Sweden	Coastal Anti-ship missiles	Unknown	Bulgaria is arming it's coastal artillery with RBS 15 Mk.3 missiles	Bulgaria is buying RBS 15 Mk.3 missiles for around 50 million BGN. The RBS 15 Mk.3 will be used by the Bulgarian Navy.^[47]
M142 HIMARS(or equal system)	United States Or other	Multiple Launch Rocket System	Unknown	M142 HIMARS	The Bulgarian Ministry of Defence and The Chief of Defence are interested in acquiring the HIMARS or an equal system for the Bulgarian Land Forces.^[48]
New Attack Helicopters	Yet to be decided.	Attack helicopter	Unknown	AH-64 Apache (Picture is illustrative)	New attack helicopters are a part of the military modernization program until 2032. They most likely will replace the aging Mil Mi-24s of the Bulgarian Air Force.^[49]

Retired equipment

PT-76 amphibious tanks (250)
T-62 tanks (250, sold to Ethiopia, Yemen and Angola)
TV-62
PTS
T-55AM2 tanks (1,400 kept in storage in the province of Montana)^{[citation needed]}
T-34 tanks (177, some sold to Mali and other African countries; 42 kept in storage near the village of Ohrid, Bulgaria; some are used as anti-tank weapons targets; the rest of the tanks were scrapped)
BRDM-1
BTR-152
BTR-40
BTR-50PU
SS-23 (8 launchers + 24 missiles, destroyed)
FROG-7 (24 launchers + dozens of missiles, destroyed)
Scud-B (36 launchers + dozens of missiles, destroyed)
AT-1 Snapper anti-tank guided missiles
BM-13 multiple rocket launchers

References

External links

[1] or [2] The download link(s) to details of Bulgaria's military equipment, including the reserve as of 2013. Note: some of the reserve items are not listed on this page, such as the 430 T55's in reserve status.

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List of modern equipment of the Bulgarian Land Forces

Contents

Small arms

Sidearms

Assault rifles

Submachine guns

Sniper rifles

Machine guns

Anti-tank weapons

Mortars

Other small arms

Anti-tank guided missiles

Man-portable air defense systems

Armoured and utility vehicles

Artillery and air defense

Unmanned aerial vehicles

Potential/future acquisitions

Retired equipment

See also

References

External links