Bulgaria Military - 2021

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Military and security forces

Bulgarian Armed Forces: Land Forces (Army), Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air Forces (Voennovazdushni Sili, VVS), Joint Special Forces; Ministry of Interior: Border Guards (2021)

Military expenditures

1.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

3.15% of GDP (2019)

1.45% of GDP (2018)

1.23% of GDP (2017)

1.25% of GDP (2016)

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Bulgarian Armed Forces have approximately 30,000 active duty personnel (16,000 Army; 4,000 Navy; 7,000 Air Force; 3,000 other, joint staff, support) (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Bulgarian Armed Forces inventory consists primarily of Soviet-era equipment, although in recent years Bulgaria has procured limited amounts of more modern weapons systems from Western countries, including France, Italy, Norway, and the US (2020)

Military deployments

120 Afghanistan (NATO) (2021)

Military service age and obligation

18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription ended in 2007; service obligation 6-9 months (2019)

Military - note

Bulgaria officially became a member of NATO in 2004

NOTE: The information regarding Bulgaria on this page is re-published from the 2021 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Bulgaria 2021 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Bulgaria 2021 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.