Bulgarian parliament approves German air defence system procurement

The Bulgarian parliament has approved a government proposal for the phased acquisition of German IRIS-T air-defence systems, including one long-range and six medium-range units.

The first phase of the procurement, set to begin 39 months after contract finalization, will cost approximately 356 million Bulgarian lev ($200 million), Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

This phase will be funded by the national defence budget and the compensatory funds received for armaments donated to Ukraine in 2024, with additional funding expected in 2025.

Future phases will proceed as funds become available, the report noted.

During a meeting held from July 22-24, officials from the Bulgarian and German defence ministries, along with Diehl Defence representatives, outlined the acquisition plan. This includes five more IRIS-T SLM systems and one long-range IRIS-T SLX system to be delivered by 2032.

The IRIS-T SLM system has a maximum range of 40 kilometres (25 miles) and can reach altitudes of up to 20 kilometres (12 miles). The newer IRIS-T SLX system, which has been recently introduced, offers double the range and can intercept targets at an altitude of up to 30 kilometres (18.6 miles).

In 2023, Bulgaria's council of ministers approved a draft procurement agreement for Diehl Defence systems under the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI). The IRIS-T system is part of the ESSI's three-tiered defence structure, which also includes the short-range Skyranger 30 mobile ground defence system and the long-range Patriot system.

As one of the 21 members of the ESSI, established following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Bulgaria aims to enhance its airspace protection, maritime security, strategic installations, and critical infrastructure with this procurement. There is also potential for integrating these capabilities with NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence System.