BTA: Bulgarian Armed Forces Hold Exercises to Enhance Interoperability

Bulgarian Armed Forces are conducting exercises to enhance operational interoperability, Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov said Friday at Cheshnegirovo Air Base during the Distinguished Visitors Day of the multinational special operations exercise Stealth Dagger 26.

"We are in a period of intensive training and are rehearsing elements of the national defence plan and NATO’s regional defence plan. The goal is to improve interoperability both in the planning and conduct of operations and exercises, and during tactical activities carried out independently or together with our allies," Eftimov said.

He stressed that interoperability exercises are important because they encompass training, exercises, lessons learned and testing. Eftimov noted that newly acquired drone and counter-drone systems were tested at the Koren training area on Thursday, while developments within the Special Operations Forces were demonstrated in Cheshnegirovo on Friday.

He said a major helicopter exercise will take place next week in Krumovo Air Base, followed by the naval exercise Breeze in July and further testing of counter-drone capabilities at Shabla. Later, within the framework of the Special Operations Forces and with NATO support, Bulgarian companies will have an opportunity to present their drone and counter-drone technologies to the Alliance.

"This is a continuous process so that, when resources are available and we are ready, we can be confident that the capabilities we acquire meet today’s requirements and will remain relevant tomorrow," Eftimov said.

The multinational special operations exercise Stealth Dagger 26 is being held in Southern Bulgaria from June 1 to 19. It involves special operations units from Bulgaria, Romania and the United Kingdom, as well as specialized police forces of the Interior Ministry.

The exercise aims to enhance interoperability among special operations formations and improve coordination in responding to contemporary hybrid threats in the Black Sea region. It follows a realistic and dynamic scenario simulating rising geopolitical tensions and increasing conventional and unconventional risks.

Among those attending the exercise were commanders of the Bulgarian Armed Forces’ services and commands, the commanders of the Special Operations Forces of Romania and the United Kingdom, the regional governors of Plovdiv and Pazardzhik, and the director of the Plovdiv Regional Directorate of the Interior Ministry.