site.btaDefence Minister, Diehl Discuss Establishing Defence Capabilities Maintenance Centre in Bulgaria

Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov and representatives of the German company Diehl Defence discussed the establishment of a maintenance centre for defence capabilities in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence said.

Bulgaria expects that the acquisition of new defence capabilities under the SAFE mechanism will go together with concrete opportunities for the development of the national defence industry, Minister Stoyanov said during the meeting, as quoted by the ministry's press office.

The minister stressed that investments in the modernization of the armed forces should create long-term added value for the country by involving Bulgarian companies, developing technological capabilities, and building capacity for the maintenance of new military equipment.

In view of the upcoming procurement of IRIS-T systems, Bulgaria proposes developing sustainable industrial cooperation to be implemented within the country, Stoyanov added.

He presented the possibility of establishing a maintenance centre and logistics hub for IRIS-T systems in Bulgaria, which would provide the storage and supply of spare parts, as well as technical maintenance and repair services.

According to Minister Stoyanov, Bulgaria has the potential to develop such a capability, which in the future could serve not only the country's national needs but also play an important regional role.

Bulgaria has already signed a contract for the acquisition of one IRIS-T air defence system, while five additional systems of the same type are expected to be procured under the SAFE mechanism. "We are ready to begin negotiations as early as today, both on this project and on the contract for the acquisition of RBS systems for the Navy's new multipurpose patrol vessels," Minister Stoyanov said.

Representatives of Diehl Defence outlined opportunities for cooperation with Bulgarian defence industry companies and expressed their willingness to explore the establishment of a maintenance centre and logistics hub in Bulgaria. They also discussed the possibility of using European funding to implement such a project, as well as the potential for joint initiatives in innovative defense technologies, information technology, infrastructure, testing equipment, weapons systems, and optical and electronic systems.

In June, Minister Stoyanov discussed the development of bilateral cooperation with German Ambassador Irene Plank. Among the topics covered were the planned acquisition of EuroPULS multiple-launch rocket systems, which Bulgaria intends to procure jointly with Germany and with the support of the SAFE mechanism; the delivery of weapons and ammunition for the Navy's new multipurpose modular patrol vessels; and opportunities for cooperation with German companies in developing Bulgaria's defence industry.