site.btaMilitary Convoys to Move Along Bulgaria's National Road Network to Participate in NATO's Steadfast Dart 2025

From January 12 to 14, military convoys will move along the national road network to participate in NATO's Steadfast Dart 2025 (STDT25) exercise on the territory of Romania, the Defence Ministry said in a press release on Friday. The convoys, consisting of Italian armed forces, will be guarded and escorted by Bulgarian Military Police teams. The specific routes will be determined based on current road conditions in coordination with the General Directorate National Police and the Road Infrastructure Agency.

On Wednesday, the caretaker government approved the transit and temporary stay of allied forces in Bulgaria for participation in STDT25.

STDT25 is NATO's largest exercise in 2025, involving the deployment of the Allied Reaction Force (ARF) units across Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania during the first quarter of the year. Approximately 10,000 military personnel from nine NATO countries — Bulgaria, France, Greece, Italy, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Turkiye, and the United Kingdom, are taking part in it.

Planned by NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), the exercise is executed by the Joint Force Command Naples (JFCNP). It includes air, land, naval, and special operations forces, with participation of 17 ships, over 20 aircraft and helicopters, such as EF2000, F-16, AV-8B Harrier jets, A400 transport planes, more than 1,500 combat vehicles including tanks, rocket artillery systems, self-propelled artillery, infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), and armoured personnel carriers (APCs).

Between February 3 and 28, ARF elements will be deployed in Bulgaria, including Spanish armed forces, NATO Rapid Deployable Corps Italy (NRDC-ITA), and staff officers from JFCNP. Up to 460 military personnel, 95 combat and transport vehicles, two NH90 helicopters, two A400 Airbus transport planes, and six AV-8 Harrier aircraft will be stationed in Bulgaria.