Bulgarian Army to Likely to Procure 3D Radars from France's Thales

Bulgaria plans to acquire 3D radars from France for its army, as announced during a meeting between senior officials from both countries on February 26.

Bulgaria’s Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov met with H.E. Joel Meyer, Ambassador of France to Bulgaria, to discuss defense cooperation. Zapryanov highlighted Bulgaria’s readiness to move forward with a contract for the 3D radars, describing the project as a priority for modernizing the armed forces and ensuring airspace protection.

The meeting also focused on strengthening military-technical cooperation between Bulgaria and France.

The official Bulgarian Defense Ministry statement did not specify the type of radar, the quantity, or the contract value. However, bids from Lockheed Martin (U.S.), Leonardo (Italy), ELTA (Israel), Indra (Spain), and Thales (France) were revealed in August 2023, but the opening of price proposals faced delays. According to reports from a year ago, Thales likely won the bid to supply Bulgaria’s army with new 3D surveillance radars for €142 million—25% lower than the €200 million initially proposed by the French defense company.

The project was expected to exceed the budget due to rising costs and increased defense orders following Russia’s military actions in Ukraine. Initially, Lockheed Martin, the U.S. company that sold F-16 fighter jets to Bulgaria, was considered a strong contender for the contract.

The Bulgarian Ministry of Defense plans to purchase seven three-coordinate radars, including a package for training and five years of maintenance. The radars are expected to be delivered within 30 to 36 months after the contract is signed.