The Land Forces Take Delivery of the First Five Stryker Vehicles

The Land Forces have taken delivery of the first five Stryker armoured vehicles at an official ceremony at the TEREM military plant in Veliko Tarnovo. They are part of a contract with General Dynamics for the supply of 198 combat, support and training vehicles worth more than $1.4 billion.

The 61st Stryama Mechanised Brigade is to receive a total of 198 combat and support vehicles from General Dynamics, 183 of which belong to the Stryker family. They will be assembled at the TEREM–Ivaylo plant. The first deliveries were delayed by a year.

Dimitar Stoyanov, Minister of Defence: "We hope that spare parts and components needed to complete the vehicles will be supplied regularly. This is what caused the delays identified so far. We are on schedule. Payments are being made on schedule. The vehicles are being delivered on schedule, and some are even arriving ahead of schedule. At this point, we were supposed to have received fewer than 20–22 vehicles; we have 30 here. We expect another three to arrive by the end of the year, and the second phase, involving the combat vehicles, will then begin."

Land Forces Commander General Deshkov explained that training for drivers and technical teams had been under way for months.

Major General Dean Deshkov, Commander of the Land Forces: "For around four months or more, our mechanics and drivers assigned to these vehicles have been driving them over rough terrain. Training for the personnel responsible for maintenance has been under way for several weeks, almost a month. This includes taking the entire vehicle apart and putting it back together, so that they acquire the skills needed to maintain it in field conditions."

The question of ensuring regular deliveries of ammunition, however, remains unresolved.

Dimitar Stoyanov, Minister of Defence: "At present, we cannot manufacture it ourselves. We obtain it from the United States. I hope there will be a technology transfer that will enable Bulgaria to produce the ammunition itself. We have a tradition in this field. I would therefore urge the defence industry, particularly the private sector, to adapt more quickly to the new standards."

The aim is for Bulgaria to become a regional hub for the assembly and servicing of Stryker vehicles.

Dimitar Stoyanov, Minister of Defence: "Let us not forget that our neighbour, the Republic of North Macedonia, also has vehicles from the Stryker family. Ukraine has them too. We have the capacity and the capabilities to develop not only first- and second-level maintenance, but also third-level servicing for Stryker vehicles."

The Ministry of Defence also aims to equip the 2nd Tundzha Mechanised Brigade with Stryker vehicles, at a cost of $1.4 billion over the next five to six years.