Military Aircraft Videos

My invincible bulgARIAN army

The Bulgarian Army (Bulgarian: Българска армия) represents the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria. Operational elements of the Bulgarian Army include: Bulgarian Land Forces (army), Bulgarian Navy (navy), and the Bulgarian Air Forces (air force). After the country became a NATO member in April 2004, the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense has begun a new downsizing, modernization, and reform program (known as PLAN 2004) that will result in the adoption of a smaller force structure of around 50,000 personnel(ranked 72), based upon a rapid reaction force and two additional corps headquarters, all with subordinate brigades. Budget US dollar $1.7 billion (2008)/percent of GDP 2.2% (2008) Industry Domestic suppliers TEREM Arsenal Co Inventory of the Bulgarian armed forces MBTs: 850-900 Armored Personnel Carriers: ~830 IFVs: 173 Armored cars: ~220 Anti-tank vehicles: 24 Towed artillery: 529 Self-propelled artillery: ~1400 SAM launchers: ~200 AA artillery: ~300 Infantry and anti-tank weapons AR-M1 (Bulgarian-made enhanced assault rifle built off AK-74 platform) RPG-7 Dragunov Sniper rifle RPD RPK light machine guns Uzi submachine guns (special forces) SPG-9DNM recoilles rifles hundreds of mortars of various calibre; AT-1 Snapper ATGMs (status unknown, probably retired) AT-2 Swatter ATGMs AT-3 Sagger ATGMs AT-4 Spigot ATGMs (222) AT-5 Spandrel ATGMs AT-6 Spiral ATGMs AT-7 Saxhorn ATGMs SA-16/SA-18 MANPADS SA-7 Grail MANPADS (locally-built modified version Strela-2M) Armored vehicles ~430 tanks T-72M1/T-72M2[3] ~400 tanks T-55AM2 (in storage or used for training; some 100 in active service) 60 BRDM-1 and BRDM-2- some in active service 24 BRDM-2 Konkurs (dedicated anti-tank vehicle armed with 4x AT-5 Spandrel) 93 BMP-23 80 BMP-1P 230 BTR-60 600 MT-LB (Bulgarian-made) ~100 Mercedes-Benz G-Class armored jeeps (600 ordered, to be delivered by 2010) 50 HMMWV (deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq) 7 M1117 (6 for the Bulgarian mission in Afganistan and 1 for the brigade in Stara Zagora, more to be delivered) TV-62M armored recovery vehicles, made by a modified T-62 tank hull with parts of a T-55 turret. Artillery 122 mm BM-21 multiple-launch rocket system (221) 152 mm D-20 towed guns (190) 152 mm 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzers (some 20 delivered, probably none in service) 130 mm M-46 towed guns (73) 122 mm M-30 towed howitzers (70) 122 mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers (506) 120 mm 2S12 Tundzha self-propelled mortars (247) 100 mm SU-100 self-propelled anti-tank guns (68, in storage) 100 mm MT-12 anti tank gun//artillery cannon (126) 120 mm 2S11 self-propelled guns (359) Air defence equipment SA-2 Guideline missiles SA-3 Goa missiles (approx. 30 missile launch units) SA-4 Ganef missiles (non-op, stored) SA-5 Gammon missiles (1 battalion) SA-6 Gainful missiles (approx. 20 missile launch units) SA-8 Gecko self-propelled air defence missile systems (24 missile launch units) SA-9 Gaskin self-propelled air defence missile systems (non-op, stored) SA-10 Grumble air defence missile systems (2 batteries with each 5 missile launch units) SA-13 Gopher self-propelled air defence missile systems (approx. 20 missile launch units) various types of AA cannons ZSU-57-2 (dozens) ZSU-23-4 (27) ZU-23-2 (128) S-60 (90) Ballistic missile systems SS-21 Scarab-A tactical ballistic missile complex (approx. 18 launchers + at least 36 missiles), 70 km range. Currently the attack and defence branches of the Bulgarian air force are comprised mainly of MIG-21s, MIG-29s and Su-25s. About 16 MiG-29 fighters are being modernized in order to meet NATO standards. In 2006 the Bulgarian government signed a contract with Alenia Aeronautica for the delivery of five C-27J Spartan transport aircraft in order to replace the old soviet made An-24 and An-26. The first Spartan is expected to arrive in year 2007 and the remaining four until 2011. Modern EU-made transport helicopters were purchased in 2005 and until now 7 have arrived. In 2-3 years the Bulgarian Air Force will have 12 Eurocopter Cougar helicopters (8 transport and 4 S&R). Until then the Bulgarian Air force would have to rely on the Mi-8s and Mi-17s. Recently, the Ministry of Defense terminated the contract with Elbit Systems for modernizing 12 Mi-25 and 6 Mi-35 helicopters. Naval inventory one Tarantul class corvette; three Osa class missile boats; three Riga class frigates; two Pauk class corvettes; one Romeo class submarine; one Wielingen class frigate; P-15 Termit missiles; Mi-14 Haze naval helicopters (At this time the Navy's only aircraft comprise 12 Mil Mi-14PL helicopters for anti-submarine patrol, search and rescue, and other naval support tasks located near Varna. Serbo-Bulgarian War 1885: http://hometown.aol.com/bogdanovaslava/1885War.html Balkan Wars: http://hometown.aol.com/bogdanovaslava/BalkanWars.html