Government approves framework to acquire up to 1,040 military transport vehicles from Italy

On 11 November 2026, the Council of Ministers approved an agreement between the Bulgarian and Italian ministries of defence establishing a framework for the subsequent acquisition of military transport vehicles. According to the Ministry of Defence Information Centre, Bulgaria has stated its intention to acquire up to 1,040 military road vehicles at a total cost of up to €410 million. The Minister of Defence has been authorised to sign the agreement.

Up to 700 vehicles in the first phase

According to the government announcement, the first phase provides for the acquisition of up to 700 vehicles in 2027–2030. The plan covers not only the acquisition of the vehicles but also personnel training, spare parts and maintenance. The financial ceiling for this phase is €290 million, which is expected to be secured through the European SAFE financial instrument.

Up to €120 million is allocated for the second phase. The remaining vehicles, bringing the total to up to 1,040, are planned to be acquired by the end of 2032.

The investment expenditure project, “Development of the Armed Forces’ Transport Support Capabilities”, is due to be submitted to the National Assembly, having also received government approval. The framework agreement, parliamentary approval and subsequent negotiation of the acquisition are separate steps. The quantities and sums stated are upper limits under the plan, not final contractual terms.

Assembly in Bulgaria envisaged as an option

The Ministry of Defence Information Centre reports that the project includes industrial cooperation with Italy and the possibility of some vehicles being assembled in Bulgaria with the participation of Bulgarian companies. This is an envisaged option, not an announced agreement on a specific factory or volume of work.

The same announcement states that the vehicles are intended to give the armed forces greater transport capabilities, including for carrying weapons, equipment and supplies. To assess their military value, however, it is important to know what loads the vehicles will be able to carry, the conditions in which they will operate and how their maintenance will be organised. The total number alone does not indicate how much additional transport capacity the armed forces will gain.

Vehicle types and contractual terms remain unclear

The officially announced parameters do not specify the manufacturer, the exact types and models, or the breakdown of vehicles by role. There is no basis for describing them as armoured or combat vehicles.

At the time of publication, Flank has not located the government decision itself, with its reference number and annexes. Final prices and contractual terms also remain to be clarified. Dividing the maximum budget by the maximum number of vehicles does not give a reliable unit price, as the first phase also includes training, maintenance and spare parts. Information on the project may be supplemented once further documents are published.