Bulgaria Approves $205 Million NSM Coastal Missile Purchase from US to Enhance Black Sea Defense
Bulgaria has approved a $205 million investment for the acquisition of Norwegian-made Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) through an intergovernmental agreement with the United States. This follows Romania's earlier procurement of similar systems.
The investment involves two contracts: one for the NSM coastal launch systems and another for command and control systems worth over $3 million. The project is set for parliamentary approval and aims for full implementation by the end of 2030, with payments scheduled mainly for 2029-2030.
This acquisition is part of Bulgaria's broader rearmament agenda, transitioning from Soviet-era weapons to NATO-compatible forces by 2030. The urgency for modern missile systems arose from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as Bulgaria currently relies on a single outdated Soviet-era system. The NSM offers an effective range of up to 250 kilometers, significantly surpassing existing capabilities.
