Jane Edwards
The government of Bulgaria has asked the parliament’s permission to approve the planned procurement of up to 16 fighter aircraft and 150 combat vehicles, SeeNews.com reported Wednesday.
Bulgaria intends to make the fighter jet procurement in two phases with plans to buy up to eight aircraft worth approximately $1.1 billion in total under the first stage as potential replacements for MiG-29 jets.
The country’s defense ministry said Bulgaria also plans a potential $881.5 million acquisition program to buy 150 armored vehicles in order to develop its industrial capacity and comply with NATO standards.
Reuters reported that Saab has offered Gripen planes for the fighter aircraft acquisition, while Portugal and Italy have respectively proposed used F-16s and Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft.
Some of the companies that have showed interest to supply combat vehicles to Bulgaria include Textron, Rheinmetall Defense, Patria, Nexter Systems and Mowag, a business unit of General Dynamics’ European land systems group business, sources said.
