site.btaAnalysis of 2024 State and Preparation Conducted at Naval Forces Command

In his address to Navy personnel on Thursday during an analysis of the state and preparation for 2024, Chief of Defence, Admiral Emil Eftimov in 2025, the Navy faces a difficult task - preparation for the acceptance and adoption of new multifunctional modular patrol ships. "We must develop and upgrade our capabilities in order to meet the challenges facing the fleet in adopting the new platforms," Eftimov said, quoted by the Defence Ministry. 

The meeting was attended by the Commander of the Navy, Rear Admiral Kiril Mihaylov, representatives of the Joint Forces Command, the Land Forces, the Air Force, the Joint Special Operations Command, heads of departments and sectors, as well as commanders of military formations from the Navy.

Rear Admiral Mihaylov stressed the ability of the Navy to maintain the necessary readiness to perform the assigned tasks, responding quickly and adequately to the threats that have arisen. "Enhanced protection measures are being observed and adequate actions are being taken to guarantee the sovereignty and safety of navigation in the national maritime spaces, which confirmed once again that the Navy is a significant factor in ensuring security in the maritime domain and contributes to the freedom of navigation, the security of critical maritime infrastructure and the economy of the country," he said.

The analysis indicated that the main focus in the preparation and activities of the Navy in 2024 was on the development, maintenance and use of the available capabilities to guarantee the sovereignty of the Republic of Bulgaria in the national maritime spaces and situational awareness of the approaches to them, by fulfilling the full spectrum of the tasks of the armed forces in deterrence and defence, improving the capabilities for continuous surveillance, notification and maintenance of information awareness of the situation, control of shipping, protection of maritime communications and economic activity at sea.

In the conditions complicated by the conflict in Ukraine, the Navy once again established itself as an indispensable tool of the state for guaranteeing its sovereign rights and freedom of navigation, the analysis reads.

In 2025, the Navy will focus on maintaining and developing the necessary defence capabilities to perform the full range of tasks under the three missions of the armed forces within the framework of the provided resources, maintaining the capabilities of the declared forces to participate in allied commitments and continuing the modernization and improvement of the infrastructure of the Navy.