Bulgaria's defence — spending, programs and arms exports

In 2026, Bulgaria spent 2.22% of GDP on defence — on the road to NATO's 5% target by 2035. This page tracks how that money is spent: the equipment-vs-personnel split, the flagship weapons programs, arms exports and force readiness — from NATO, the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Defence.

What you'll find

  • The road to 5% — defence spending as a share of GDP since 2014, against the old 2% target (Wales) and the new 5% by 2035 (Hague). The 2019 spike is a one-off F-16 down-payment.
  • Equipment vs personnel — the spending split; the equipment share jumps from 8% (2020) to over 30% as F-16 and Stryker deliveries land.
  • The flagship programs — F-16 (~$2.6bn), Stryker (~
    .38bn), the patrol ships and the ammunition plant. These deals run through US FMS and are not in the procurement register.
  • Arms exports — the record post-2022 surge: €2.83bn in 2024, €6.65bn since the war began.
  • People and readiness — unfilled established posts and reserve fill.

The public procurement of the 25 Ministry of Defence units is on the МО page. See also the indicators and the state budget.

Sources: NATO, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Defence.

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Recent analysis

  • Budget 2026: adopted in month seven — what the numbers show
  • Machine-only voting: who wins and who loses
  • Budget 2026 in focus: the record deficit, the critics, and a check against the numbers