US Green-Lights the $1.5 Billion Sale of Stryker Armored Vehicles to Bulgaria
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) stated that the US Department of State has approved a foreign military sale to the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria of 183 Stryker 8×8 Armored Vehicles in various variants and related equipment for an estimated US$1.5 billion. According to the agency, the necessary certification and related documents announcing this possible sale were submitted to the US Congress on September 1, 2023.
The potential sale includes 90 XM1296 Infantry Carrier Vehicles – Dragoon (ICVD), 17 M1126 Infantry Carrier Vehicles, 9 M1132 Engineer Squad Vehicles, 33 M1130 Command Vehicles, 24 M1133 medical evacuation vehicles, 10 M1135 Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicles, as well as 5 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks for the transportation of light equipment, 2 M1120A4 tactical trucks and 5 M984A4 Wrecker tactical trucks. Also included in the package are M153A4 CROWS remote weapon stations, M240 7.62mm machine guns, M6 smoke grenade launchers, M2A1 heavy machine guns, Harris radios, AN/VAS-5 Driver Vision Enhancer (DVE), DVE Wide, Communications equipment, RS6 (LW30) Remote Weapon Systems, TACFLIR 280 HDEP systems, Ranger R20SS Radar, ROVER6Si transceivers, spare parts as well as a technical support and assistance program and logistics support. The inclusion of Ranger R20SS Radar suggests that some of the Strykers may be outfitted for very-short range air defense tasks.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which is affiliated with the US Department of State, stated that “this proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the security of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe.” The agency also stated that the proposed sale would improve Bulgaria’s rapid infantry deployment and force projection capability, and that the country would have no issue incorporating such equipment and services into its armed forces.
The approval of arms sales by the State Department simply means that the sale is not a concern for the US administration. If the US Congress does not protest to the Department’s decision within 30 working days, management will start negotiations with the Bulgarian government for the contents of the sales package and the procurement process will take place. In the event that the US Congress does not object to the sale, the 8×8 Stryker Armored Vehicles and related equipment will replace the 100 armored personnel carriers from the Soviet era that Bulgaria has committed to sending to Ukraine.