The Bulgarian army will be armed with new 9 mm “Springfield Armory 4.5” pistols next year, announced the commander of the Land Forces, General Deyan Deshkov, at the “Lyulyak” training ground near Stara Zagora, Bulgarian National Radio reported.
With the introduction of the new models, the legendary Soviet “Makarov” (in service since 1951) will gradually be phased out.
According to Gen. Deshkov, the deal will be included in the 2026 budget and will cover the payment for several thousand pistols, some of which will enter service with the Land Forces. The commander added that the army currently has ammunition for the new pistols for “several years to come”, which allows their adoption to begin immediately.
The new pistols are manufactured in Croatia, although the Springfield Armory brand is American. The manufacturer is also known for the M1A combat carbines. The model was selected as part of a public procurement for the complete replacement of the Bulgarian Army’s small arms, announced in 2024. The framework value of the order was 40 million leva and, in addition to pistols, it includes a new sniper rifle, assault rifle and machine guns according to NATO standards.
The Ministry of Defense is also expected to select a sniper kit for the Land Forces in 2026, Gen. Deshkov also indicated. Deliveries of reconnaissance and FPV drones, as well as “kamikaze” drones, are also continuing.
The Land Forces Commander also commented on the plans for artillery modernization – the “Grad” systems are not excluded, and their modernization is also planned. Under the SAFE program, the Land Forces are focusing on two main projects: replacing the “barrel” artillery (155-mm howitzers) and acquiring multiple-fire rocket systems with high accuracy and great depth.
“One is about replacing the “barrel” artillery, we are talking about the 155-mm howitzers, and the other is about multiple-fire rocket systems with high accuracy and great depth. These are the two things under SAFE, which gives us hope that they will happen. When – that already depends on the military-political level,” said General Deyan Deshkov.
Illustrative Photo by Darya Grey_Owl: https://www.pexels.com/photo/makarov-pistol-lying-on-tree-log-by-bonfire-16778235/
