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Bulgarian Armed Forces

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Bulgarian Army
Coat of Arms of Bulgaria
Service branchesBulgarian land forces
Bulgarian Air Force
Bulgarian Navy
HeadquartersPart of the Ministry of Defence
Leadership
Commander-in-ChiefPresident of Bulgaria Georgi Purvanov
Minister of DefenceNikolai Tsonev
Chief of the General StaffGeneral Zlatan Stoykov
Personnel
Military age18 years of age
Available for
military service		1,701,979, age 16-49 (2008 est.)
Fit for
military service		1,364,029, age 16-49 (2008 est.)
Reaching military
age annually		39,477 (2008 est.)
Active personnel39,000 (ranked 72)
Deployed personnel Afghanistan - 401[1]

 Iraq - 155
 Bosnia and Herzegovina - 200+
 Eritrea - 11

and other countries
Expenditure
BudgetUS dollar $1 billion (2008)
Percent of GDP2.1% (2008)
Industry
Domestic suppliersTEREM Arsenal Co.
Foreign suppliers United States
 Russia
 France
 Belgium
Related articles
HistoryMilitary history of Bulgaria

The Bulgarian Army (Bulgarian: Българска армия) represents the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria. The Commander-in-Chief is the President of Bulgaria Georgi Parvanov. The Ministry of Defense is in charge of political leadership while military command remains in the hands of the General Staff, headed by the Chief of Staff. Operational elements of the Bulgarian Army include: Bulgarian Land Forces (army), Bulgarian Navy (navy), and the Bulgarian Air Forces (air force).

The patron saint of the Bulgarian Army is St. George, and Valor Day (May 6, also known as St. George's Day) has long been celebrated as Valor and Army Day. It is an official holiday in Bulgaria.

After the country became a NATO member in April 2004, the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense has begun a new downsizing, modernization, and reform program (known as PLAN 2004) that will result in the adoption of a smaller force structure of around 50,000 personnel, based upon a rapid reaction force and two additional corps headquarters, all with subordinate brigades. As of 1 January 2008 the military of Bulgaria has disbanded its compulsory military service.

History of the Bulgarian Army

The military of Bulgaria dates back to ancient times, including the armies of the Bolgar states in Asia, Old Great Bulgaria, Volga Bulgaria and finally, Danube Bulgaria, the only existing Bulgarian state nowadays. The leader of the military traditionally has been the khan, but after the First Bulgarian Empire converted to Christianity, the state was headed by a knyaz or tzar.

Major conflicts in the modern history of Bulgaria:

For information on military conflicts in the more distant past see History of Bulgaria.

General Staff

The Bulgarian Armed Forces are Headquartered in Sofia, where most of the general staff is based. Currently headed by Chief of Staff General Zlatan Kirilov Stoykov, the General Staff is responsible for operational command of the Bulgarian Army and its 3 major branches. Deputies: Vice Admiral Petar Petrov, General Atanas Zaprianov, General Dimitar Zehtinov.

Chief commanders:

Land Forces

File:Bulgarian land forces.jpg
Bulgarian Land Forces Training Operation.
File:BMP-23 CM.jpg
Bulgarian BMP-23 in Iraq.
File:T-72-BG.jpg
Bulgarian T-72 tank at a parade in Sofia.
File:Bgguards.jpg
Change of the guards.
Bulgarian T-72M2 tank on a parade. Note the new one-color camouflage.
Three T-72 Main Battle Tanks move forward to attack the OPFOR during a movement to contact during joint exercise Immediate Response at Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria.
A BMP-23 on a parade.
An SS-21 Scarab-A missile on parade in Sofia.
Main article: Bulgarian land forces

The Land Forces are functionally divided into Active and Reserve Forces. Their main functions include deterrence, defense, peace support and crisis management, humanitarian and rescue missions, as well as social functions within Bulgarian society.

The Active Forces mainly have peacekeeping and defensive duties, and are further divided into Deployment Forces, Immediate Reaction, and Main Defense Forces. The Reserve Forces consists of Enhancement Forces, Territorial Defense Forces, and Training Grounds. They deal with planning and reservist preparation, armaments and equipment storage, training of formations for active forces rotation or increase in personnel.

During peacetime the Land Forces maintain permanent combat and mobilization readiness. They become part of multinational military formations in compliance with international treaties Bulgaria is a signatory to, participate in the preparation of the population, the national economy and the maintenance of wartime reserves and the infrastructure of the country for defense.

In times of crisis the Land Forces' main tasks relate to participation in operations countering terrorist activities and defense of strategic facilities (such as nuclear power plants and major industrial facilities), assisting the security forces in proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, illegal armaments traffic and international terrorism.

In case of low- and medium-intensity military conflict the Active Forces that are part of the Land Forces participate in carrying out the initial tasks for the defense of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country.

In case of a military conflict of high intensity the Land Forces, together with the Air Force and the Navy, form the defense group of the Bulgarian Army aiming at countering aggression and protection of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country.

The Bulgarian Land Forces are scheduled to become fully professional by 1 January 2008, bringing an end to mandatory military service. The Bulgarian Air Force and Naval Forces are already fully professional.

Tactics

Traditionally, the Bulgarian Army has relied on large numbers of well-trained infantry. During the Cold War the armed forces were expanded to a number of more than 200 000 men, supported by a very large Air Force, thousands of artillery pieces and anti-tank missiles, tactical ballistic missiles, hundreds of SAMs and AA cannons, and more than 1 500 tanks. All that was needed as a deterrence against its large southern NATO-member neighbour - Turkey, and to a lesser degree, Greece. In case of a conflict with NATO, Bulgaria was to use its anti-aircraft missiles and ATGMs to effectively destroy most of the enemy armor and aircraft, while the tanks and jet fighters were to combat the enemy units until back-up forces from the USSR arrived. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union Bulgaria's army has been reduced significantly in terms of numbers, but the number of defensive equipment (ATGMs and SAMs) has not been reduced drastically.

National guard unit

Main article: National guard unit

The National Guard of Bulgaria, founded in 1879, is the successor to the personal guards of Knyaz Alexander I. On July 12th of that year, the guards escorted the Bulgarian knyaz for the first time; today, July 12th is the official holiday of the National Guard. Throughout the years the structure of the guards has evolved, going from convoy to squadron, to regiment and, subsequent to 1942, to division. Today it includes military units for army salute and wind orchestra duties.

In 2001, the National Guard unit was designated an official military unit of the bulgarian army and one of the symbols of state authority, along with the flag, the coat of arms and the national anthem.

Inventory of the Bulgarian armed forces

Total units of equipment, incl. those in reserve:

  • MBTs: 590
  • Armored Personnel Carriers: ~1250
  • IFVs: ~100
  • Armored cars: ~360
  • Anti-tank vehicles: 24
  • Towed artillery: 529
  • Self-propelled artillery: ~1600
  • SAM launchers: ~200
  • AA artillery: ~350

Infantry and anti-tank weapons

Armored vehicles

  • Note: Numbers in italics mean that the current number of vehicles may be smaller than shown here.

Artillery

  • 122 mm BM-21 multiple-launch rocket system (100); (250 in reserve)
  • 152 mm D-20 towed guns
  • 130 mm M-46 towed guns
  • 122 mm M-30 towed howitzers
  • 122 mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers
  • 120 mm 2S12 Tundzha self-propelled mortars (247)
  • 82 mm 2S12 Tundzha self-propelled mortars
  • 100 mm SU-100 self-propelled anti-tank guns (68, in storage)
  • 100 mm MT-12 anti tank gun//artillery cannon (126)
  • 100 mm BS-3 field gun (16)
  • 120 mm 2S11 self-propelled guns (359)

Air defence equipment

Ballistic missile systems

  • SS-21 Scarab-A tactical ballistic missile complex (18 launchers + at least 36 missiles), 70 km range

Retired equipment

Wielingen class frigate. Former F911 Westdiep - now BGS Gordi (43)
Naval Ensign of Bulgaria
Naval Ensign of Bulgaria
Naval Jack of Bulgaria
Naval Jack of Bulgaria
Coastguard Ensign of Bulgaria
Coastguard Ensign of Bulgaria
Main article: Bulgarian Navy

The navy has been largely overlooked in the reforms that the Bulgarian armed forces had to go through in order to comply with NATO standards, mostly because of the great expense involved and the fact that naval assaults are not considered to be a great concern for the country's security. That is why three of the four combat submarines (excluding the Romeo class sub Slava) are now docked and have been out of operation for some time. Only the more modern frigates, corvettes and missile crafts are on active duty.

In order to meet at least some of the NATO requirements, in 2005 the Bulgarian government bought from Belgium a Wielingen-class frigate, the BNS Wandelaar (F-912) (built in 1977), and after being renamed to the BG Druzki the frigate serves as the flagship of the Bulgarian Navy. In 2006, following a decision of the Bulgarian Parliament, Druzki took part in the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL), patrolling the territorial waters of Lebanon under German command. This was the first time ever the Bulgarian Navy took part in an international peacekeeping operation. The Bulgarian government plans to purchase two more Wielingen-class frigates ([F-910]-Wielingen and [F-911]-Westdiep will be delivered in summer 2008). Also one Tripartite minehunter is on order.

The Bulgarian Navy is centered in two main bases. One is near the city of Varna. The other is Atiya, near the city of Bourgas.

Air Force

Bulgarian Air force
Bulgarian Air force
File:Four Bulgarian MIG-29s.jpg
Four Bulgarian MiG-29s at 2008 parade
File:Bulgarian MiG-29s.jpg
Bulgarian MiG-29s
File:Bulgarian Eurocopter Cougars Taking.jpg
Bulgarian Eurocopter Cougars
Main article: Bulgarian Air Force

In the past decade Bulgaria has been trying actively to restructure its army as a whole and a lot of attention has been placed on keeping the aging Russian aircraft operational. Currently the attack and defence branches of the Bulgarian air force are comprised mainly of MIG-21s, MIG-29s and Su-25s. About 16 MiG-29 fighters are being modernized in order to meet NATO standards. The first aircraft arrived on 11/29/07 and final delivery is due in 03/09. In about 2 years time the government intends to purchase 16 modern jet fighters but due to the lack of funding the procedure of choosing the best alternative could prolong itself. The main competitors are expected to be Eurofighter, Dassault Rafale, JAS 39 Gripen, F-15 and F-18. In 2006 the Bulgarian government signed a contract with Alenia Aeronautica for the delivery of five C-27J Spartan transport aircraft in order to replace the old soviet made An-24 and An-26. The first Spartan is expected to arrive in year 2007 and the remaining four until 2011.

Modern EU-made transport helicopters were purchased in 2005 and until now 8 have arrived. In 2-3 years the Bulgarian Air Force will have 12 Eurocopter Cougar helicopters (8 transport and 4 S&R). Until then the Bulgarian Air force would have to rely on the Mi-8s and Mi-17s. Recently, the Ministry of Defense terminated the contract with Elbit Systems for modernizing 12 Mi-25 and 6 Mi-35 helicopters.

Branches of the airforce include: fighter aviation, assault aviation, intelligence aviation and transportation aviation, aid defense troops, radio-technical troops, communications troops, radio-technical support troops, logistics and medical troops.

Aircraft inventory

With the exception of the Navy's small helicopter fleet, the Air Forces are responsible for all military aircraft in Bulgaria. The Air Forces' inventory numbers 124 aircraft, including 46 combat jets and 42 helicopters. Aircraft of western origin have only begun to enter the fleet, numbering 13 of the total in service.

Template:Standard table ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service[5] ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes |----- | Aero L-39ZA Albatros |  Czechoslovakia | advanced trainer/light attack aircraft | | 12 | |----- | Alenia C-27J Spartan |  Italy/ United States | transport | | 1 || 4 more under delivery | |----- | Antonov An-24 Coke |  Soviet Union | transport | | 2 | |----- | Antonov An-26 Curl |  Soviet Union | transport | | 3 | |----- | Antonov An-30 Clank |  Soviet Union | aerial survey | | 1 | |----- | Bell 206 |  United States | utility helicopter | | 6 | |----- | Eurocopter Cougar |  France | transport helicopter | AS532 | 9 || 3 under delivery, 4 in CSAR configuration | |----- | Eurocopter Panther |  France | naval helicopter | AS565 | || 6 under delivery for the Naval Aviation Service, to be operated onboard the new multirole corvettes | |----- | Let L-410 Turbolet |  Czechoslovakia | transport | L-410UVP-E | 7 | |----- | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Fishbed |  Soviet Union | fighter
lead-in trainer | MiG-21bis
MiG-21U | 18
3 | although source claims 21 in service, some 60 or more are parked on Graf Ignatievo Air Base. |---- | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum |  Soviet Union | fighter
lead-in trainer | MiG-29
MiG-29UB | 16
4 | |----- | Mil Mi-14 Haze |  Soviet Union | naval helicopter | Mil Mi-14PL | 12, to be replaced by Eurocopter Cougars | |----- | Mil Mi-17 Hip-H |  Soviet Union | transport helicopter | | 18 | |----- | Mil Mi-24 Hind |  Soviet Union | attack helicopter | Mi-25 (export version of Mi-24D)
Mi-35 (export version of Mi-24V) | 12
6 | |----- | Pilatus PC-9 |  Switzerland | trainer/light attack | PC-9M | 6 | |----- | Pilatus PC-12 |  Switzerland | utility transport | | 1 | |----- | Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot |  Soviet Union | close support
lead-in trainer | Su-25
Su-25UB | 28
4 | |}

Former equipment

Template:Standard table ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes |----- | Ilyushin Il-28 |  Soviet Union | medium-range bomber | Il-28, Il-28U | |----- | MiG-15 |  Soviet Union | fighter | | |----- | MiG-17 |  Soviet Union | fighter | | |----- | MiG-19 |  Soviet Union | fighter | | |----- | MiG-23 |  Soviet Union | fighter/bomber | | |----- | MiG-25 |  Soviet Union | advanced interceptor | | Originally 4 delivered. One crashed, the rest were sold back to Russia in exchange for 4 MiG-23s |----- | Mil Mi-1 |  Soviet Union | utility helicopter | | |----- | Mil Mi-2 |  Soviet Union | transport helicopter | | retired from military service, some are used as agriculture and civilian parachute training helicopters |----- | Mil Mi-4 |  Soviet Union | transport helicopter | | |----- | Mil Mi-6 |  Soviet Union | transport helicopter | | |----- | Lisunov Li-2 |  Soviet Union | transport airplane | | |----- | Yakovlev Yak-18 |  Soviet Union | piston-engine trainer | | |----- | Ilyushin Il-10 |  Soviet Union | piston-engined attack plane | | retired in 1954 |----- |}

References

  1. ^ European-defence.co.uk
  2. ^ Between World Wars Axis history forum
  3. ^ Modernization plan of the Bulgarian military
  4. ^ България | Купуват 50 Хамъра за Сухопътни войски - Dnevnik.bg
  5. ^ a b "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15, 2007.

See also

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