List of modern equipment of the Bulgarian land forces

This is a list of the equipment currently in use by the Bulgarian Land Forces.

Small arms

Sidearms


Model	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
SIG Pro	Germany / Switzerland / United States	Handgun	9×19mm Parabellum	Production in United States. Used by Bulgarian Military Police and SKSO (special forces)
Arcus 98DA	Belgium / United States Bulgaria	Handgun	9×19mm Parabellum
Makarov	People's Republic of Bulgaria / Bulgaria	Handgun	9×18mm	Local production and standard issue to army.The Army said that they plan on replacing the makarov pistol . Copy pistols were produced since 1960. Arsenal 10 produced them between 1970 and 2007. Can be recognised through "((10))" arsenal markings, straight hammer serrations, slim star grip shells .[1]

Assault rifles


Model	Image	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
Heckler & Koch G36		Germany	Assault rifle	5.56×45mm NATO	Standard assault rifle of Military Police
Steyr AUG		Austria	Assault rifle	5.56×45mm NATO	Special forces only. In limited use with the 101st mountain regiment
AR-M1		Bulgaria	Assault rifle	5.56×45mm NATO	Standard issue infantry rifle of the Bulgarian Army.[2]
AR-M4SF	File:Arsenal 5.56 ar-m4sf.jpg	Bulgaria	Assault rifle	5.56×45mm NATO	Carbine rifle made by Arsenal Jsco and used by 68th Special Forces Brigade
AKM		Soviet Union People's Republic of Bulgaria	Assault rifle	7.62×39mm	Produced locally and in reserve.[1][3]

Submachine guns


Model	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
AKS-74U	Soviet Union People's Republic of Bulgaria / Bulgaria	Personal defense weapon	5.45×39mm	Used by Bulgarian Military police. Produced locally.
Arsenal Shipka	Bulgaria	Submachine gun	9×18mm Makarov 9×19mm Parabellum	Standard issue submachine gun of army.
Heckler & Koch MP5	Germany	Submachine gun	9×19mm Parabellum	Used by Bulgarian Special Forces and Military Police.
FB PM-63	Polish People's Republic	Submachine gun	9×18mm Makarov	Used by Bulgarian Special Forces.

Sniper rifles


Model	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
Barrett M82	United States	Anti-materiel rifle	.50 BMG	Used by Bulgarian Special Forces
Blaser R93 Tactical	Germany	Sniper rifle	7.62×51mm NATO
Heckler & Koch MSG90	West Germany / Germany	Sniper rifle	7.62×51mm NATO
Heckler & Koch PSG1	West Germany / Germany	Semi-automatic sniper rifle	7.62×51mm NATO	PSG-1A1 variates and used by Military Police of Bulgarian Land Forces.
Dragunov sniper rifle	Soviet Union People's Republic of Bulgaria / Bulgaria	Semi-automatic sniper rifle, designated marksman rifle	7.62×54mmR	Produced locally.[1]

Machine guns


Model	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
NSV	Bulgaria	Heavy machine gun	12.7×108mm	Standard issue heavy machine gun of the Bulgarian Army and Produced by Arsenal [4]
PK	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Universal machine gun	7.62×54mmR	Used by Special forces and Regular units, Produced locally. PK/PKM copies were produced as the MG-1 & MG-1M.[1][5]
RPK	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Light machine gun Squad automatic weapon	7.62×39mm M43	Produced locally by Arsenal as the LMG in three different calibers, 7.62×39mm, 5.45×39mm and 5.56×45mm NATO. A folding stock variant is known as the LMG-F.[1][6][7][8]

Anti-tank weapons


Model	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
RPG-22	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Light anti-tank weapon	High-explosive anti-tank with penetration of 400 mm versus RHA	Produced locally at VMZ Sopot.[9]
SPG-9	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Recoilless gun Anti-tank gun	73 mm (2.87 in) smoothbore[10]	Produced locally as SPG-9DNM
RPG-7	Soviet Union Bulgaria	Rocket-propelled grenade launcher	40 mm	Produced locally by Arsenal Corporation as ATGL-L.[11]

Mortars


Model	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
M6-211 Mortar	Bulgaria	Light mortar	60mm	Produced locally.
M8 Mortar	Bulgaria	Medium mortar	81mm	Produced locally.
M82	Soviet Union	Medium mortar	82mm	[12]
2S12 Sani	Soviet Union	Heavy mortar	120mm	[12]

Other small arms


Model	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
Mk 19 grenade launcher	United States	Automatic grenade launcher	40 mm grenade
AGS-30	Russia Bulgaria	Automatic grenade launcher	30mm grenade	30×25mm grenade launchers, AGS-17 derivate by Arsenal JSCo
FN 303	United States	Semi-automatic less-lethal riot gun	17.3 mm (0.68 in)	In use with the Land Forces and the Military Police.[13]
UBGL-M7	Bulgaria	Grenade launcher	40mm caseless grenade	Underbarrel grenade launcher by Arsenal JSCo.
UBGL-M6	Bulgaria	Grenade launcher	40mm caseless grenade	Underbarrel grenade launcher by Arsenal JSCo.
GP-25	Soviet Union People's Republic of Bulgaria / Bulgaria	Grenade launcher	40mm caseless grenade	Produced locally by Arsenal AD as the UBGL[14] and the UBGL-1.[15]

Anti-tank guided missiles


Model	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
AT-12 Swinger	Soviet Union	Laser beam riding anti-tank missile	100 mm projectile
AT-7 Saxhorn	Soviet Union	Anti-tank missile	High-explosive anti-tank shaped charge
AT-6 Spiral	Soviet Union	Anti-tank missile	High-explosive anti-tank shaped charge
AT-5 Spandrel	Soviet Union	Anti-tank missile	9N131 high-explosive anti-tank
AT-4 Spigot	Soviet Union People's Republic of Bulgaria / Bulgaria	Anti-tank missile	High-explosive anti-tank warhead	Produced locally.
AT-3 Sagger	Soviet Union People's Republic of Bulgaria / Bulgaria	Anti-tank missile	High-explosive anti-tank	Produced locally and in reserve.

Man-portable air defense systems


Model	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
SA-18 Grouse	Soviet Union People's Republic of Bulgaria / Bulgaria	Man-portable air-defense systems	1.17 kg (2.6 lb) with 390 g (14 oz) explosive	Produced locally
SA-16 Gimlet	Soviet Union People's Republic of Bulgaria / Bulgaria	Man-portable air-defense systems	1.17 kg (2.6 lb) with 390 g (14 oz) explosive	Produced locally
SA-14 Gremlin	Soviet Union People's Republic of Bulgaria / Bulgaria	Man-portable air-defense systems	1.15 kg directed-energy blast fragmentation warhead (Strela-2M), 370 g HE content	Produced locally and in reserve.
SA-7 Grail	Soviet Union People's Republic of Bulgaria / Bulgaria	Man portable surface-to-air missile launcher	1.15 kg directed-energy blast fragmentation warhead (Strela-2M), 370 g HE content	Produced locally and in reserve.

Armoured and utility vehicles

Armoured fighting vehicles
Name	Origin	Type	Number	Photo	Notes
T-72A/M2	Soviet Union People's Republic of Bulgaria / Bulgaria[16]	Main battle tank	160 (+250 in storage)[12]		Indigenous tank design, based on the Russian T-72M1.[16][12] Bulgaria will modernize a total of 44 T-72s, 40 of which are for the Land Forces and 4 for the Vasil Levski National Military University, and will also carry out personnel training during the same period. Among the new capabilities of the T-72M1/M2, achieved through modernization, are improved combat effectiveness and increased level of protection, as well as the effectiveness of the command system. Until 2023, there will be 44 fully military-ready T-72 tank variants in the Bulgarian Army.[17]
BMP-23/30	People's Republic of Bulgaria Soviet Union	Infantry fighting vehicle	120[12]		Locally designed infantry fighting vehicle with a 23-mm automatic cannon, 9K111 Fagot anti-tank guided missile launchers with a total of six missiles and an SA-7 Grail man-portable air-defense systems.
BMP-1P	Soviet Union	Infantry fighting vehicle	100[12]		Soviet tracked Infantry Fighting Vehicle with a 73-mm smoothbore gun.
BTR-60PB	Soviet Union People's Republic of Bulgaria / Bulgaria	Armoured personnel carrier	150[12]		~150 are modernised to the BTR-60PB-MD1 standards. In reserve over 600. Produced locally.
MT-LB / MT-LBu	Soviet Union People's Republic of Bulgaria / Bulgaria	Armoured personnel carrier	100[12]		In reserve, over 500 in store in different states of availability. Light multi-purpose vehicle; mostly used as an armoured personnel carrier Produced locally.
BRDM-2	Soviet Union	Scout car	74[12]		Armoured scout car
9P148 "Konkurs"	Soviet Union	Anti-tank vehicle	24		Anti-tank vehicle based around the BRDM-2 with five AT-5 Spandrel missiles
Samel 90	United Arab Emirates/ Bulgaria	Infantry mobility vehicle	98[18]		The armoured tactical vehicles are made by the SAMARM JV between Bulgarian manufacturer Samel 90 and UAE-based International Armored Group.
Mercedes-Benz G-Class	Germany	Armoured jeep	900[12]		A contract has been signed with Germany to raise the number up to 300.4x4 armoured G 280 CDi and non-armoured G 270 CDi jeep; partially armed with locally produced PKM machine guns
UAZ-469	Soviet Union	Patrol vehicle	700		Off-road military light utility vehicle
Plasan Sand Cat	Israel	Patrol vehicle	25[19]		4x4 armoured patrol vehicle used by the Military Police service
M1117	United States	Patrol vehicle	17[12]		4x4 multi-purpose armoured patrol vehicle
Mercedes-Benz Zetros	Germany	Off-road truck for extreme operations	335[12]		As of 2012, it operates 335 trucks with 30 more on order

Artillery and air defense

Name	Origin	Type	Number	Notes
Artillery
SS-21 Scarab-A	Soviet Union	Tactical ballistic missile	18	The only remaining ballistic missile system from the now-disbanded Rocket Forces; 8 TELs and a classified quantity of missiles are in service.
BM-21	Soviet Union	Multiple rocket launcher	192[12]	122-mm multiple-launch rocket system.
2S1 Gvozdika	Soviet Union	Self-propelled howitzer	506[12]	122-mm self-propelled howitzer
D-20	Soviet Union	Howitzer	150	152-mm towed howitzer; principal heavy artillery piece of the Bulgarian Army
MT-12	Soviet Union	Anti-tank gun	200	100-mm anti-tank gun, now used mostly as conventional HE artillery
Air defense
S-300	Soviet Union	Surface-to-air missile system	10[12]	Ten S-300 launchers, divided into two units with five launchers each.
SA-8 Gecko	Soviet Union	Surface-to-air missile system	24[12]	Highly mobile short-range surface-to-air missile system with 15 km range
SA-6 Gainful	Soviet Union	Surface-to-air missile system	20[12]	Mobile surface-to-air missile system is a Soviet low to medium-level air defense system designed to protect ground forces from air attack.
SA-13 Gopher	Soviet Union	Surface-to-air missile system	20	Short-range battlefield surface-to-air missile system with 5 km range
S-200	Soviet Union	Surface-to-air missile system	10[12]	Long-range high-altitude surface-to-air missile system with 300 km range
S-75 Dvina	Soviet Union	Surface-to-air missile system	18	High-altitude surface-to-air missile system with 45 km range In reserve
S-125 Neva/Pechora	Soviet Union	Surface-to-air missile system	32[12]	Low-altitude surface-to-air missile system with 35 km range
ZU-23-2	Soviet Union	AA gun	128	Most ZU-23-2s in Bulgarian service are mounted on ZIL-131 trucks.
Radar
P-14	Soviet Union	2D VHF Radar		2-dimensional air search radar.[20]
P-18	Soviet Union	2D VHF Radar		2-dimensional air search radar[20]
P-35/37MV1 Khristo	Soviet Union	2D E band/F band		P-37MV1 Bar Lock Upgrade[20]
ST-68U	Soviet Union	3D radar		Used on the S-300 system[20]

Retired equipment

PT-76 amphibious tanks (250)
T-62 tanks (250, sold to Ethiopia, Yemen and Angola)
TV-62
PTS
T-55AM2 tanks (1,400 kept in storage in the province of Montana)
T-34 tanks (177, some sold to Mali and other African countries; 42 kept in storage near the village of Ohrid, Bulgaria; some are used as anti-tank weapons targets; the rest of the tanks were scrapped)
BRDM-1
BTR-152
BTR-40
BTR-50PU
SS-23 (8 launchers + 24 missiles, destroyed)
FROG-7 (24 launchers + dozens of missiles, destroyed)
Scud-B (36 launchers + dozens of missiles, destroyed)
AT-1 Snapper anti-tank guided missiles
BM-13 multiple rocket launchers

References

Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
"Defense & Security Intelligence & Analysis: IHS Jane's – IHS". Retrieved 16 November 2014.
Personal infantry weapons: old weapons or new hardware in the coming decades? – Free Online Library. Thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved on 2014-04-20.
"12,7 mm Arsenal Multi-purpose Machine Gun MG-U". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
"G3 Defence Magazine August 2010". calameo.com. Archived from the original on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
"Arsenal's LMG Page, 7.62×39mm". Arsenal. Archived from the original on 2002-11-11. Retrieved 2010-04-06.
"Arsenal's LMG Page, 5.56×45mm". Arsenal. Archived from the original on 2003-02-25. Retrieved 2010-04-06.
"Arsenal's LMG Page, 5.45×39mm". Arsenal. Archived from the original on 2002-11-11. Retrieved 2010-04-06.
"RPG-22 NETTO". VMZ Sopot Official Website. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
OPFOR Worldwide Equipment Guide, TRADOC DCSINT Threat Support Directorate, January 21, 1999
ATGL-L anti-tank grenade launcher Archived 2010-08-21 at the Wayback Machine, arsenal.bg
"Bulgarian Defense Information". European Defense Information. Armed Forces.co.uk. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
Армията се въоръжи и с газови пистолети Archived 2006-07-17 at the Wayback Machine, Segabg, 30 June 2006
Arsenal Corporation. "Arsenal 40 mm Underbarrel Grenade Launcher UBGL". Archived from the original on 8 October 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
Arsenal Corporation. "Arsenal 40 mm Underbarrel Grenade Launcher UBGL-1". Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
"Bulgarian Military". Mediafire.com. 2013-11-17. Retrieved 2014-12-09.
Yığın, Arda Atakan (2022-10-05). "Bulgaristan T-72 tanklarını modernize ediyor". DefenceTurk (in Turkish). Retrieved 2022-10-05.
"Bulgaria receives special forces vehicles". Janes.com. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
"Inside Bulgaria's growingly obsolescent Air Defence force". www.key.aero. Retrieved 2023-03-11.

External links

or The download link(s) to details of Bulgaria's military equipment, including the reserve as of 2013. Note: some of the reserve items are not listed on this page, such as the 430 T55's in reserve status.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[jones2009-1] Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.

[Janes-2] "Defense & Security Intelligence & Analysis: IHS Jane's – IHS". Retrieved 16 November 2014.

[armadaint-3] Personal infantry weapons: old weapons or new hardware in the coming decades? – Free Online Library. Thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved on 2014-04-20.

[4] "12,7 mm Arsenal Multi-purpose Machine Gun MG-U". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2014.

[g3defencemag-5] "G3 Defence Magazine August 2010". calameo.com. Archived from the original on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2014.

[6] "Arsenal's LMG Page, 7.62×39mm". Arsenal. Archived from the original on 2002-11-11. Retrieved 2010-04-06.

[7] "Arsenal's LMG Page, 5.56×45mm". Arsenal. Archived from the original on 2003-02-25. Retrieved 2010-04-06.

[8] "Arsenal's LMG Page, 5.45×39mm". Arsenal. Archived from the original on 2002-11-11. Retrieved 2010-04-06.

[9] "RPG-22 NETTO". VMZ Sopot Official Website. Retrieved 20 January 2012.

[opfor-10] OPFOR Worldwide Equipment Guide, TRADOC DCSINT Threat Support Directorate, January 21, 1999

[11] ATGL-L anti-tank grenade launcher Archived 2010-08-21 at the Wayback Machine, arsenal.bg

[Bulgarian_Defense_Information-12] "Bulgarian Defense Information". European Defense Information. Armed Forces.co.uk. Retrieved 22 April 2014.

[13] Армията се въоръжи и с газови пистолети Archived 2006-07-17 at the Wayback Machine, Segabg, 30 June 2006

[14] Arsenal Corporation. "Arsenal 40 mm Underbarrel Grenade Launcher UBGL". Archived from the original on 8 October 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2014.

[15] Arsenal Corporation. "Arsenal 40 mm Underbarrel Grenade Launcher UBGL-1". Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2014.

[Bulgarian_Military-16] "Bulgarian Military". Mediafire.com. 2013-11-17. Retrieved 2014-12-09.

[17] Yığın, Arda Atakan (2022-10-05). "Bulgaristan T-72 tanklarını modernize ediyor". DefenceTurk (in Turkish). Retrieved 2022-10-05.

[18] "Bulgaria receives special forces vehicles". Janes.com. Retrieved 2023-01-01.

[:0-20] "Inside Bulgaria's growingly obsolescent Air Defence force". www.key.aero. Retrieved 2023-03-11.