Bulgaria has approved the purchase of nearly two hundred Stryker combat vehicles in six variants for $1.37 billion

In early September, the US State Department approved the potential sale of Stryker armoured personnel carriers to Bulgaria. About three weeks later, the Bulgarian government agreed to the purchase.

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Deliveries will begin two years after the official signing of the contract and will last for three years. This was announced by Bulgarian Defence Minister Todor Tagarev. The head of the ministry is pleased with the fact that it was possible to buy the Stryker at a reduced price. Bulgaria is ordering the combat vehicles in six modifications:

• XM1296 Dragoon (90 units) / armoured combat vehicles;
• M1130 (33 units) / commander vehicles;
• M1133 (24 units) / armoured medical evacuation vehicles;
• M1126 (17 units) / armoured personnel carriers;
• M1135 (10 units) / radiation, chemical and bacteriological reconnaissance vehicles;
• M1132 (9 units) / armoured engineering vehicles.

The US wanted to sell 183 Stryker armoured personnel carriers, five tactical trucks, two M1120A4 trucks, five M9884A4 Wrecker recovery vehicles, M153A4 CROWS combat modules, M240 and M2A1 machine guns for $1.5 billion. However, Bulgaria agreed to buy all of the above for $1.37 billion.

Source: Defence News