# Bulgaria Plans Five More IRIS-T Systems

Bulgaria is advancing government approval of a planned purchase of five additional IRIS-T air-defense systems. Prime Minister Rumen Radev said on October 7, 2026, that an agreement could be concluded within weeks. The plan follows Bulgaria’s October 2024 purchase of an initial IRIS-T SLM system from Diehl Defence for $199 million, which reportedly included an option for five additional batteries by 2032. No value, solicitation details, or award has been reported for the follow-on purchase.

- The planned purchase signals continued Bulgarian demand for air-defense systems and potential opportunities for the manufacturer and supporting suppliers.
- Companies should treat the follow-on as a developing, pre-award opportunity: the investment project is still under government approval, and no competition terms or contract value are available.
- The prior purchase provides a reference point for the program, but does not establish the value or procurement approach for the additional systems.

**Jurisdictions:** international
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Published:** October 07, 2026

### Government Entities
- Government of Bulgaria
- Ministry of Defense of Bulgaria

### Vendors
- Diehl Defence (Awardee for the initial IRIS-T SLM system purchase)

### Key Quotes
> I hope that the agreement will be concluded within a few weeks.
> — Rumen Radev, Prime Minister of Bulgaria

### Sources
- [RT @velitesgear | Full Text Article: https://t.co/xjk9Gu7e2R | Author: @militarnyi Bulgaria Plans to Purchase Five Additional IRIS-T Air Defense Systems 
Bulgaria plans to purchase five additional IRIS-T air defense systems.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said this before ](https://x.com/velitesgear/status/2107897057675555156) - twitter-defense