Bulgaria has approved plans to procure the Naval Strike Missile Coastal Defence System to enhance protection of its Black Sea coast, following a decision by the country’s Council of Ministers.
The acquisition will be carried out via a U.S. foreign military sales agreement, a framework previously used by Sofia to purchase F-16 Block 70 fighters and Stryker armored vehicles. The U.S. State Department has authorized a potential $620 million FMS package that includes the NSM Coastal Defence System, ammunition, and transport and loading vehicles for the missiles.
According to documentation submitted to Bulgaria’s parliament, the procurement is expected to be divided into two contracts, valued at approximately $205 million for the missile defense system and $3 million for the supporting command-and-control component. It remains unclear whether ammunition procurement will be included in the final agreements.
The purchase aligns with Bulgaria’s ongoing rearmament efforts under the Armed Forces Investment Programme and the Defence Capabilities Development Programme 2032, with funding to be sourced entirely from the national budget, Novinite reported.
With the acquisition, Bulgaria will become the second Black Sea nation after Romania to field the NSM Coastal Defence System, following Romania’s purchase in December 2022. Developed by Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, the system integrates a sophisticated fire-control system, missile launchers, and a maritime surveillance and target-tracking radar.
The Naval Strike Missile can strike both naval and land targets at ranges beyond 100 nautical miles and is equipped with a 500-pound warhead, combining low-observable sea-skimming flight with advanced terminal maneuvering to penetrate modern defenses.
