site.btaIn Istanbul, Bulgaria's Chief of Defence Says Unmanned Autonomous Systems Are Game Changer on the Battlefield

Participating in the 18th Balkan Countries CHODs Conference, Bulgaria's Chief of Defence, Admiral Emil Eftimov, said unmanned autonomous systems have changed the way warfare is conducted in modern conflicts, making them a key factor on the battlefield. "To maintain operational superiority, we must rapidly adapt our armed forces to both utilize and defend against this modern capability," he said. The conference is taking place in Istanbul on May 27 to 29, the Defence Ministry said.

Turkiye is hosting this year's edition of the forum, which is an opportunity for the Chiefs of Defence of Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, the Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Turkiye, and Montenegro to discuss shared topics concerning their armed forces, as well as ways to deepen regional military cooperation. The strategic discussion topic chosen by the hosts this year focuses on the use of unmanned autonomous systems in present and future military conflicts.

In his statement, Admiral Eftimov stressed the important role of unmanned autonomous systems in modern conflicts. He highlighted the need for rapid adaptation of the armed forces so as to be capable of both utilizing and countering them. "One of the key lessons from the war in Ukraine is that a pragmatic approach is needed in the procurement of such systems during peacetime, as they evolve very quickly, and it is essential to build the defence industry's capacity for their production," the Chief of Defence said.

The participating nations had an opportunity to make national presentations. On behalf of Bulgaria, a briefing was presented on the NATO Emergency Management Exercise BULGARIA 2025, scheduled for September.

As part of the conference, Admiral Eftimov held a trilateral meeting with the Chiefs of Defence of Turkiye and Romania. The discussion focused on regional military cooperation and on current and future joint initiatives in the Black Sea.

Admiral Eftimov discussed the upcoming NATO Summit and activities related to ensuring the security of the Alliance's southeastern flank with Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Chair of the NATO Military Committee, the Defence Ministry said.

The initiative of the Balkan Chiefs of Defence started 18 years ago and has since become one of the most significant examples of regional military cooperation, the Ministry said. Areas of cooperation include information exchange on security topics and potential regional threats, and the organization of joint exercises, courses and training activities.