site.btaInternational Armored Group Starts Production of Military Vehicles in Burgas

The International Armored Group (IAG) company has started producing armoured vehicles at its newly opened plant in Burgas (on the Black Sea coast), the company said in a press release on Tuesday.

IAG pointed out that this is happening in partnership with companies from the Bulgarian defense industry, as well as with military, scientific and technical organizations. An example of this are drones for rescue, reconnaissance and emergency teams, in which Bulgarian units make up about 65%. Bulgarian specialists are already working with the high-tech equipment together with engineers and technicians from the company's plants abroad. 

IAG noted that the first vehicles to be produced in Burgas are Guardian Xtreme MRAP, which can be used for combat, tactical and observation missions. The latest developments of the IAG engineering team, together with companies from the Bulgarian defense industry, are 120, 82, 81-mm self-propelled mortars, 107-mm multiple launch rocket system, armored vehicles with anti-tank guided complexes and reconnaissance vehicles in a wide range.

The company added that there is a problem related to accelerating the process of issuing import and export permits, which is currently unusually slow. "Bulgaria can and should rank among the European centres for the production of defense equipment. We receive very high marks from specialists in the field and I believe that we are setting new standards for Bulgarian military equipment. Building a modern military industry in Bulgaria is not an expense, but an investment," IAG CEO Anton Stefov emphasized.

The company's first Bulgarian armored vehicle plant was opened with an official ceremony in early October 2024. At the opening, Stefov said that different types of combat vehicles for the infantry, the army, the police, special forces and fire protection will be produced in Burgas.