site.btaBulgarian Navy Focuses on Developing Capabilities in 2023 - Analysis

An analysis of the Bulgarian Navy’s state and preparedness in 2023 was carried out at the Naval Headquarters on Tuesday, the Navy Command said. The Navy's main focus was on developing capabilities to execute Armed Forces' missions, a press release said.

The Bulgarian Navy Commander, Rear Admiral Kiril Mihaylov, the Deputy Commander of the Bulgarian Navy, Flotilla Admiral Georgi Penev, the Deputy Commander of the Flotilla of Battle and Auxiliary Ships, Captain 1st Rank Pavlin Petkov, the Deputy Commander of the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy, Captain 1st Rank Valcho Atanasov, and military formation commanders attended the event. 

The Navy's training and activities in 2023 were centered on developing, maintaining, and employing available capabilities to ensure Bulgaria’s maritime sovereignty and situational awareness. To this end, the Navy has executed the full spectrum of the Armed Forces' deterrence and defence missions, improved capabilities to conduct continuous surveillance, maintained situational awareness, controlled shipping, protected maritime communications and maritime economic activity, and has timely identified, assessed, and responded to challenges, risks, hazards, and threats.

In an environment aggravated by the war in Ukraine, the Navy has reasserted itself as an indispensable instrument of the state, guaranteeing its sovereign rights and freedom of navigation.

All planned major exercises were conducted. The Breeze 2023 national naval exercise with foreign participation was held for the first time in October. Despite the complex military and political situation and the risk of drifting mines, the good organization and adequate management of the exercise ensured the fulfillment of the set objectives, confirming that the Bulgarian Navy is capable of acting in a complex environment and during conflict.

The ability of the Navy to maintain readiness to perform the assigned tasks, responding quickly and adequately to emerging threats, was highlighted as the main conclusion of the preparation analysis.