Armed forces of the Warsaw Pact countries. Bulgarian People's Army

BULGARIA 1914-1918 . Page 246

Bulgaria lost the Second Balkan War in 1913. Finally, in 1915, it decided to join Germany.

Infantry
Bulgarian infantrymen predominantly wore brown uniforms (uniforms and trousers). Most regiments had red shoulder straps (with the regiment number embroidered with yellow thread or painted with yellow paint), a red stand-up collar and cuffs, and trousers also had red piping. However, in ten royal regiments, the cuffs, shoulder straps and edging differed from the standard: in the 1st they were scarlet, in the 4th - yellow, in the regiment of Tsar Ferdinand (6th) - white, in the 8th - blue, 9 -m - blue, 17th - bright red, 18th - white, 20th - royal blue, 22nd - light green and 24th - orange. In these regiments they wore the chiefs' monograms on their shoulder straps, and they wore braid on their red stand-up collars. The caps had blue crowns and red bands (which could also be of the above colors). Most often, brown covers were put on caps. The officers wore a green uniform and a Russian-style cap. The cap and shoulder straps had a characteristic edging. The latter were lined with galloons, on which the regiment number or encryption was placed. The rank was denoted by metal stars in the form of rhombuses. The cap had a green visor and a Bulgarian white-green-red cockade inside a white metal oval was attached to the front. Officers sometimes wore a ceremonial belt, but more often they preferred black or brown belts. The officer's coat was light gray with a dark blue collar and red buttonholes. Across the shoulder straps of non-commissioned officers were gold or yellow stripes. In 1915, most of the infantrymen were dressed in feldgrau-colored uniforms with red piping on the collar and shoulder straps and sometimes on the front edge of the uniform. Regimental numbers were now also red; the original colors of the chief regiments were also a thing of the past. In the summer, infantrymen wore light blue tunics and brown trousers. The equipment was made of genuine brown leather and included a waist belt with pouches, a German-style satchel and a canteen. Before the war, there was an acute shortage of overcoats in the army, so in 1913 the military placed an order in Russia for 300,000 overcoats and 250,000 pairs of boots. German helmets began to be used in limited quantities in 1916-1917. As a rule, they were painted brown or steel gray. They wore no insignia or emblems. By the end of the war, the Bulgarian infantry used a variety of uniforms, in particular in the militia and in the irregular units formed from Macedonians. Even the troops at the front suffered from general shortages and were forced to fight barefoot and in rags.

Cavalry and artillery
Cavalrymen wore green uniforms (although there were also blue and brown uniforms) and blue breeches. The uniforms had red piping. Privates and officers had silver buttons. In the Bulgarian cavalry, there were four patron regiments, in which they wore caps with a red band and shoulder straps (with different codes for members of the royal families), but with different piping: in the 1st regiment (Tsar Ferdinand) they wore white piping, in the 2nd regiment - scarlet, in the 3rd - yellow and in the 4th - white. On the collar of the overcoat (usually gray for both officers and privates) there were colored buttonholes.

The Life Guards Cavalry Regiment was stationed in Sofia. The regiment's soldiers and officers wore blue uniforms with epaulettes, blue breeches and red caps. As a rule, cavalrymen used white leather equipment. The artillerymen wore brown uniforms with a black collar edged in red and caps with a black band also edged in red. The shoulder straps were usually black with red edging, and the regiment number was indicated in yellow on them (in the 3rd and 4th regiments the chief's codes were indicated - the 3rd regiment had the letter B (Cyrillic), the 4th had the letter F - also Cyrillic). In the regiments of the fortress artillery, the letter K was located on the shoulder straps, in the mountain artillery - the letter P, in the coastal artillery - the letter B. The officers wore green uniforms and breeches and green caps with a red band trimmed with black edging.

The engineering units wore the same uniform, but with silver buttons. Breeches, as a rule, were blue for officers and brown for lower ranks. In all artillery units, crossed gun barrels were stamped on buttons. In specialized units they wore the same uniform as in engineer units. But in the bridge construction companies there was an emblem on the shoulder straps in the form of an anchor, and in the communications companies there was a lightning bolt.

Stormtroopers ("shurmovatsi" in Bulgarian)

Allies: General Georgi Todorov and infantry and cavalry officers, Bulgarians and Germans, visiting aviators at the Belitsa airfield, 1917.
The photo was taken against the backdrop of a captured British aircraft.

Wilhelm II, Ferdinand I and General Mackensen in occupied Nis

Schumann armored carriage

At the end of the 19th century, a ship's rotating armored turret was borrowed for use in coastal and land artillery and fortification, but in conditions of land armed struggle, a stationary rotating armored turret did not give the same effect as when used on a ship. In this regard, the German engineer Major Maximilian Schumann, already around 1880, drew up an original proposal for the use of armored closures in land fortification, providing a slightly greater maneuver of fire weapons. He, together with engineer Hermann Gruzon, proposes a concealed armored turret and the so-called Schumann armored carriage, which is essentially a light rotating armored turret moved by horse or steam traction (later by cars) to one or another pre-prepared firing position. The first batches of the armored carriage were manufactured at the Bukau plant near Magdeburg.

The armored carriage made it possible to resolve issues of safety of property (they were stored until a special period in warehouses, and not in positions) and made it possible to strengthen certain positions of fortified areas, by transporting them by horse-drawn or railway transport, in threatened directions, during mobilization.

In conditions of “trench warfare,” armored vehicles were an effective weapon. During the First World War, there were examples of horse-drawn armored vehicles. Such a device was capable of direct fire at the enemy, regardless of return fire from small arms. Samples were at the disposal of the German army. Such a device, unlike the cart, was intended for firing from an artillery trench that protected vulnerable parts of the suspension and the armored door. The device could be dismountable, and the suspension could be removed after installing it in the shelter.

“Fortification Dictionary” by Colonel V. F. Shperk, VIA teacher:

“An armored carriage is a lightweight, mobile, wheeled armored structure for small-caliber artillery, transported by horses and installed in nests made in a concrete parapet. Proposed at the end of the 19th century. German engineer Schumann. During the First World War 1914 - 18 the Germans used them to strengthen field positions.”

A visual representation of how the armored carriage was transported and how it was used is given by “Fig. 12" from here (Article from the Military Encyclopedia of 1911-1915)

Armored carriages, turrets, transported on horses, like guns. systems. A type of such a br-carriage is the head's turret. Krupp (Fig. 11-12). Such towers are installed for 37 mm, 53 mm. and even 65 mm. guns The upper part of the turret (kl) rotates with the gun on the lower one; gun elevation angle 10°; declination 5°. For transportation, the tower is rolled onto a ditch, under which a link of ZR rails is reinforced; When the link is installed in place, it is laid on the floor of a concrete or earthen niche, engages with the rails of the ditch, and then the tower easily rolls into the niche and is secured in it with special pins. Currently, these towers are transported by car. These towers move along dirt roads, keeping up with the infantry.

Armored carriages from the Skoda (Skoda) plant (Austria (Czech Republic)) for a 57-mm rapid-fire gun with a length of 25 cal. On this type of armored carriage, an armored dome 25 mm thick was mounted on the carriage frames, with which it rotated. The body of the entire installation had the shape of a rectangle in plan; the gun had low recoil and was aimed directly; service team (crew) two people. The carriage was transported on an ordinary or narrow-gauge railway. At the combat position, the armored carriage was installed on a wooden platform, on which its main frame sat tightly when turning the cranked axles of the rollers, which served to move the carriage over short distances. The total weight of the installation without ammunition is 2200 kg.

Armored carriages were used to strengthen positions in the First World War of 1914-1918, as a stationary means rather than a mobile one, in a slightly improved form, Schumann's "Armored carriage" existed until 1918, but did not receive recognition or widespread use, even in Germany and Austria -Hungary, where it was made.

Operating countries

Today Bulgaria celebrates St. George's Day. This is a traditional holiday of the Bulgarian army and the so-called Day of Bravery. The history of the holiday dates back to 1880, when Grand Duke Alexander of Battenberg established the military order “For Bravery” by decree. Here I did not set myself the goal of making an excursion into history. On the contrary, I would like to talk a little about the current state of the Bulgarian army. Of course, the Bulgarians know this much better than me, but I myself wanted to at least understand this a little on my own, using open sources.

I would immediately like to emphasize the following: according to both Western and Russian military experts, the development of the Armed Forces in Bulgaria over the past 25 years is the most successful example of military reform compared to other post-socialist countries. Moreover, other armies of NATO member countries can learn something from the example of the modern development of the Bulgarian army.

Back in the 90s of the last century, the Bulgarian military-political leadership adopted a number of reasonable, in the opinion of experts, program decisions that determined the main directions for the development of the national armed forces. An intelligent Doctrine of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria has been developed, and currently the next stage of reform is underway, based on the five-year Development Plan of the Armed Forces of Bulgaria for 2010–2014.

In 2011–2013, a fairly broad public discussion took place in Bulgaria about the role and prospects of the army, timed to coincide with the centenary of the Balkan Wars. Foreign and Russian military analysts unanimously note that this discussion has fruitfully influenced the course of military reform. Moreover, the discussion of the state of affairs in the defense sector influenced some adjustments in NATO’s fundamental guidelines. As far as I understand, the question concerns the number of troops. According to Article 3 of the NATO Collective Defense Agreement, a state that has been attacked must ensure, with the help of its national armed forces, the deterrence of the enemy within 5 days. Until the united contingents of the bloc arrive. Moreover, the initial size of the Bulgarian army should be equal to 26 thousand military personnel. However, the country's military-political leadership listened to the discussion participants and experts, who argued that such small forces were clearly not enough for deterrence. The reduction of the Armed Forces was suspended.

Now data on the total number of Bulgarian armed forces differs from different sources, and the figure currently fluctuates at around 34.5 thousand military personnel. The different numbers are apparently due to the fact that organizational and staffing measures to improve the command structure are currently ongoing. The Unified Forces Command was created - a military body that makes operational decisions on the use of the army (all branches of the military) both in war and peacetime. Interesting fact: the annual Combat Training Plan for troops is fulfilled almost 100%, and for certain indicators (air landing of units, for example) - 120%.

Ground forces number approximately 21 thousand people. At the beginning of 2014, they consist of the following units and units located in 14 garrisons and 28 military zones:
- Brigades: 2nd and 61st mechanized;
- Regiments: 4th Artillery, 55th Engineering, 68th Special Operations and 110th Logistics;
- Battalions 1st reconnaissance, 3rd separate mechanized (new), 38th protection against weapons of mass destruction and 78th psychological operations;
- 2 training centers (instead of one and two centers for the repair and storage of weapons and military equipment) and 1 Koren training ground. The leadership of the Bulgarian armed forces also refused to close the well-equipped Novo Selo training ground. Now it has retained its status not only as the country’s largest center for training ground forces and aviation, but has also become one of the centers for training troops within NATO. In addition, based on the experience of operations in Afghanistan, the Bulgarian military implemented the advanced principle of recruiting a tactical combat unit: BBGs were created - battalion combat groups. This experience is also adopted by other armies of the bloc. The main weapon of the ground forces personnel is the Bakalov assault rifle, developed by Bulgarian designers (Arsenal plant) taking into account the experience of similar types of small arms. (I could not find detailed information about this machine). The Bulgarian military did not refuse (despite the demands of the NATO command) the Soviet T-72 tanks, infantry fighting vehicles (BMP-1), BMP-23 (Bulgarian production) and MT-LB (small light armored tractor). On the contrary, a planned modernization of this equipment is underway. Along with this, supplies are being made to the Bulgarian ground forces of the latest wheeled infantry fighting vehicle “Wolverine” (developed by TEREM Khan Krum), the tactical and technical characteristics of which correspond to the level of modern German, French and Swedish ones.

Air Force are divided into: a command, two air bases, a forward deployment base, an anti-aircraft missile base (a total of 5 anti-aircraft missile divisions), a command, control and surveillance base, a special equipment base and a military police company. The Bulgarian Air Force has 5 airfields: Graf Ignatievo (fighters), Bezmer (attack aircraft), Dolna Mitropolia (training aircraft), Krumovo (helicopters) and Vrazhdebna (transport aircraft). The Bulgarian leadership also approached the issue of technical re-equipment of the Air Force very carefully, in my opinion. As for transport aviation, purchases of C-27J “Spartan” aircraft are already underway, and by 2017 it is planned to purchase a modern C-17 “Gloubmaster II” transport aircraft from the United States. This is very relevant in terms of increasing the participation of Bulgarian troops in international operations of NATO troops. But in terms of rearmament of fighter and attack aircraft, there are different approaches. Due to the fact that NATO partners and Israel offered to supply obsolete models (American F-16AM and Israeli Kfir C.60) to Bulgaria, the Bulgarian military took the path of modernizing existing aircraft - Soviet MiG-29 and Su-25. Interesting fact: in 2011-2012, at the Graf Ignatievo airbase, training battles took place between the Kfir and F-16AM on the one hand and the Bulgarian modified MiG-29 on the other, which revealed the undeniable advantages of the latter. There is simply no money yet for the purchase of the latest Western multi-purpose aircraft, but the Bulgarian leadership plans to return to this issue after 2015. Soon.

Naval forces Bulgaria has one naval base, consisting of two bases: Varna and Burgas (Atia). Initial plans to reduce the Navy led to the elimination of the submarine component of the fleet (the last submarine was withdrawn from service in 2011). Currently in service there are 6 warships, 6 combat support ships and 5 auxiliary ships (information is not accurate). By order of the Bulgarian Navy, the modern corvette Govind-200 is being built at a shipyard in Lorient, France. A total of 4 such corvettes have been ordered. A very expensive project.

The weakening of the fleet caused serious natural discontent among the military and defense industry, who proposed a new concept for the development of the fleet based on the implementation of the national shipbuilding program. Bulgaria has prospects here. Bulgaria, in a fairly limited time frame (2011–2012), built the corvette “Bata” according to the Ukrainian project SV-01 (code “Kasatka”, also known as project OPV-88) for the Navy of Equatorial Guinea, which is not inferior in its characteristics to “ Govinda-200.” It would seem that there is nothing special about this contract, if you do not take into account the unprecedented secrecy measures for its implementation and the fact that “Bata” was far from the first example.

Reserve. In recent years, the Bulgarian leadership began to pay close attention to the formation of a reserve of troops. Scheduled training sessions are held twice a year, and in 2013, about 5 thousand reservists were trained. In total, the combat strength of the Bulgarian Armed Forces can count on 15 soldiers and officers of the first echelon reserve. The country's military warehouses store weapons to equip an army of up to 160 thousand people. I think this is not bad at all for Bulgaria.

Conclusions: According to independent military experts, the Bulgarian military-political leadership finds the opportunity to suspend and adjust military reform, based on the strategic and socio-economic interests of the state and its population, and not under the influence of politically current trends.
Military reform in Bulgaria, in conditions of some underfunding, with a decrease in the size of the armed forces as a whole and the number of their weapons, led not only to a decrease, but, according to a number of indicators, to an increase in the military potential of the state.

I would like to highlight one of the undeservedly neglected topics: the air forces of the Balkan states. I’ll start with Bulgaria, especially since few people know that the Bulgarians were second in the world after the Italians to use aircraft in the war and produced their own rather interesting designs.

Aviation in Bulgaria began in August 1892, when the first international industrial exhibition in Bulgaria was held in Plovdiv. A participant in the show was one of the pioneers of aeronautics, Frenchman Eugene Godard, who made several flights on August 19 in his balloon “La France” (“France”). To help him, the “host side” sent 12 sappers from the Sofia garrison under the command of Second Lieutenant Basil Zlatarov. In gratitude for his assistance, the aeronaut took the young officer with him on one of the flights. Together with them, another Bulgarian military man, Lieutenant Kostadin Kenchev, took his place in the La France basket.

Impressions from the flight and the realization of the undoubted suitability of aeronautics for military purposes forced Zlatarov to “knock down” headquarters with the aim of using balloons in military affairs, which he eventually succeeded in. By the Highest Decree No. 28 of April 20, 1906, an aeronautical department was created within the railway squad (battalion) [iron squad] of the Bulgarian army under the command of Captain Vasil Zlatarov. By this point, the squad had already existed for at least a month and was fully staffed with two officers, three sergeants and 32 privates. Initially, the unit had one spherical balloon with a volume of 360 m3, which allowed observation from a height of 400-500 m. At the beginning of 1912, the first Bulgarian-built aircraft, called Sofia-1, was made from materials purchased in Russia. This was a copy of Godard, which allowed it to rise to a height of up to 600 m.

The development of heavier-than-air flying machines has not gone unnoticed in Bulgaria. In 1912, a group of Bulgarian military personnel was sent to France to train as pilots and aircraft technicians.

The first use of Bulgarian aviation for reconnaissance of enemy forces took place during the First Balkan War. At 9:30 a.m. on October 29, 1912, Lieutenant Radul Milkov took off in an Albatross and conducted a 50-minute reconnaissance flight in the Adrianople area. The observer was Lieutenant Prodan Tarakchiev. During the first-ever combat sortie on European territory, the crew conducted reconnaissance of enemy positions, discovered the location of reserves, and also dropped two improvised bombs on the Karaagach railway station.

Special aviation ammunition did not yet exist, so the bombing was aimed solely at the moral impact on the enemy.

By the end of January 1913, Bulgaria already had 29 airplanes and 13 certified pilots (8 of them were foreigners).

Bulgarian aircraft of the First Balkan War

In 1914, a flight school [airplane school] was opened in Sofia, transferred in October of the following year to the Bozhurishche airfield (10 km west of the capital). Of the ten cadets of the first intake, seven were allowed to take training flights.

During the first year of the First World War, the Bulgarian kingdom remained aloof from the big war, but then decided to join the then seemingly indestructible alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey.

Before the outbreak of hostilities, the Bulgarian army had only one detachment of airplanes, led by Captain Radul Milkov. Under his command were six pilots, eight observers and 109 ground personnel with five airplanes: 2 Albatrosses and 3 Blériots (single and two 2-seaters).

In total, during the war, three dozen Bulgarian pilots made 1,272 combat missions, conducted 67 air battles, in which they won three victories. Its own combat losses amounted to 11 aircraft, including 6 in air battles (four were shot down, two were damaged so much that they could not be repaired).

Bulgarian aircraft of the First World War

On September 24, 1918, the Bulgarian government turned to the Entente countries with a request to cease hostilities, and on September 29, 1918, a peace treaty was signed in the city of Thessaloniki. In accordance with the agreement, the size of the Bulgarian army was significantly reduced, and the air force was disbanded. Until 1929, Bulgaria was allowed to have only civil aircraft.

Nevertheless, the Bulgarians continued to develop their aviation industry. So, 1925-1926. The first aircraft plant was built in Bozhurishte - DAR (Darzhavna Aeroplanna Worker), where the production of aircraft began. The first production Bulgarian aircraft was the DAR U-1 trainer, developed by German engineer Hermann Winter based on the German reconnaissance aircraft DFW C.V from the First World War. The plane had a German Benz IV engine, which allowed it to reach speeds of up to 170 km/h. and was released in a small series.

Bulgarian training aircraft DAR U-1

Following the DAR U-1, a series of DAR-2 aircraft appeared. This is a copy of the German aircraft "Albatros C.III". DAR-2 had a wooden structure and was no worse than the German original.

DAR-2 training aircraft series

While DAR U-1 and DAR-2 were being produced, the design bureau prepared an original design - DAR-1.

This is how the plane appeared, which was destined to become a “training desk” for hundreds of Bulgarian aviators. DAR-1 and its improved version DAR-1A with the German Walter-Vega engine flew until 1942, although much more modern training vehicles appeared at that time. The quality of the car is well illustrated by this fact. In 1932, pilot Petanichev performed 127 dead loops on it within 18 minutes.

DAR-1

DAR-1A

The success of this design became the impetus for the creation of the next DAR-3 aircraft, conceived as a reconnaissance aircraft and light bomber. In 1929, the prototype was ready. DAR-3, called "Garvan" ("Raven"), was a two-seat braceless biplane with thick trapezoidal wings. The aircraft was produced with three types of engines and had three modifications: "Garvan I" had an American Wright-Cyclone engine; "Garvan II" German "Siemens-Jupiter"; The most common version of Garvan III is the Italian Alfa-Romeo R126RP34 with a power of 750 hp, which allowed a maximum speed of 265 km/h. The aircraft served until World War II and some of them took part in it as communications aircraft.

DAR-3 Garvan III

When the first series of aircraft began to be produced in Bozhurishte in 1926, the Czechoslovak company AERO - Prague began construction of an aircraft factory in the vicinity of Kazanlak. But while the factory was being built, it turned out that the machines offered by AERO did not meet Bulgarian requirements. An auction was announced, in which the Italian company Caproni di Milano won. It committed itself to producing aircraft approved by the competent Bulgarian authorities for ten years, with the maximum use of local materials and labor. After this period, the enterprise became the property of the Bulgarian state. The chief designer of the Caproni-Bulgarsky was engineer Calligaris, and his deputy was engineer Abbati.

The first aircraft built at the factory was the KB-1 "Peperuda" ("Butterfly") trainer, produced in a small series, a reproduction of the Italian Caproni Ca.100 aircraft, popular all over the world, almost unchanged.

KB-1 defeated the DAR-6 training biplane - the first independent development of the prominent Bulgarian aircraft manufacturer Professor Lazarov: a light and very technologically advanced aircraft.

DAR-6 with Walter Mars engine

In the 1930s, a rapprochement between the government circles of Bulgaria, Germany and Italy began, including in the field of military cooperation, which intensified after the military coup on May 19, 1934.

The second KB-2UT aircraft, produced in a small series in the spring of 1934, was an analogue of the Italian Caproni-Ka.113 fighter with dimensions increased by 10% and a double cabin. The series of aircraft was not liked by Bulgarian pilots due to poor visibility from the pilot's cockpit, a tendency to cowl, and an uncomfortable navigator's cabin.

KB-2UT

The unsuccessful debut of KB-1 and KB-2UT prompted a group of Bulgarian aircraft engineers from the DAR plant, led by the already mentioned Tsvetan Lazarov, to be sent to the Caproni-Bulgarsky plant. In 1936, from the KB-2UT they created a practically new aircraft, the KB-2A, called “Chuchuliga” (“Lark”) with a star-shaped German air-cooled Walter-Castor engine, which allowed it to reach a maximum speed of 212 km/h.

KB-2A "Chuchuliga"

However, in addition to its own development and production of training aircraft, Bulgaria began to receive combat aircraft from abroad. Thus, in 1936, Germany donated 12 Heinkel He 51 and 12 Arado Ar 65 fighters, as well as 12 Dornier Do 11 bombers to the Bulgarian Air Force. Of course, both fighters and bombers were outdated and were replaced by more modern aircraft in the Luftwaffe, but as you know, “they don’t look a gift fighter in the mouth...” German fighters and bombers became the first combat aircraft of the recreated Bulgarian Air Force.

Heinkel He-51B fighter of the Bulgarian Air Force

Bulgarian Air Force Arado Ar 65 fighter

Engine repair on the Do 11D of the Bulgarian Air Force

Eleven Heinkel He-51s survived until 1942 and continued to be used as training aircraft for some time. The Arado Ar 65, which entered service in 1937 under the name aircraft 7027 "Eagle", was transferred to a flight school in 1939, used as training machines until the end of 1943, the last machine was withdrawn from service in 1944. Dornier Do 11 under the name aircraft 7028 "Prilep", used until the end of 1943, withdrawn from service by order of December 24, 1943.

In 1936, Germany also donated 12 Heinkel He 45 light reconnaissance bombers with a maximum speed of 270 km/h, armed with 2 7.92-mm machine guns synchronized MG-17 and

MG-15 on a mobile unit in the rear of the cabin, capable of carrying up to 300 kg of bombs.

Light reconnaissance bomber He.45c of the Bulgarian Air Force

The Bulgarians then ordered 18 more Heinkel He 46 light reconnaissance bombers, featuring a more powerful 14-cylinder air-cooled Panther V engine, as well as some structural strengthening and relocation of equipment to compensate for the weight of the heavier engine, built at Gothaer Wagonfabrik under designation He.46eBu (Bulgarian) in 1936.

Light reconnaissance bomber He.46

Along with the combat aircraft, training 6 Heinkel He.72 KADETT, Fw.44 Steiglitz and Fw.58 Weihe also arrived in Bulgaria from Germany

Also in 1938, two Junkers Ju 52/3mg4e transport aircraft were received from Germany for the Bulgarian Air Force. In Bulgaria, Ju 52/3m were operated until the mid-1950s.

Transport aircraft Junkers Ju 52/3mg4e

However, the supply of obsolete German combat aircraft did not satisfy the Bulgarians and they began to look for another supplier. Great Britain and France fell away immediately because they supported the so-called. countries of the Little Entente: Yugoslavia, Greece and Romania, with which the Bulgarians had territorial disputes, so their choice fell on Poland. Few people know, but in the 30s of the last century, Poland not only fully satisfied the needs of its Air Force, but also actively supplied aircraft for export. Therefore, in 1937, 14 PZL P-24B fighters were purchased from the Poles, which was a successful version of a “budget” fighter for poor countries and was already in service with Bulgaria’s neighbors: Greece, Romania and Turkey, and in the latter two it was produced under license. Thanks to its more powerful engine, it was superior in speed to the R.11 aircraft built for the Polish Air Force. The fighter was equipped with a French Gnome-Ron 14N.07 engine with a power of 970 hp, which allowed it to reach speeds of up to 414 km/h, armed with 4 7.92 mm Colt-Browning machine guns in the wing. Bulgarian R.24V entered service with the 2nd Fighter Orlyak (regiment), in 1940 they were transferred to training units, and in 1942 they were returned to the 2nd Orlyak. Most of them were destroyed in 1944 due to American bombing.

PZL P-24 fighter

Greek Air Force PZL P-24 fighter

At the same time, PZL P-43 light bombers were ordered from Poland, which were a version of the Polish Air Force PZL P-23 KARAS light bomber, with a more powerful engine. By the end of 1937, the Bulgarian Air Force received the first 12 PZL P-43A aircraft, equipped with the French "Gnome-Rhone" engine (930 hp), which were called "Chaika" by the Bulgarian Air Force. Unlike the P-23, this aircraft featured two front-mounted machine guns and a simpler hood.

Light bomber PZL P-43A of the Bulgarian Air Force

Operation confirmed their high flight characteristics, and the Bulgarians ordered 36 more P-43s, but with the Gnome-Rhone 14N-01 engine producing 980 hp. This modification was designated P-43B. The bomber had a crew of 3 people, developed a maximum speed at the ground of 298 km/h, at an altitude of 365 km/h and carried the following weapons: one 7.9 mm front machine gun and two 7.7 mm Vickers machine guns in the rear dorsal and ventral positions; 700 kg bomb load on external bomb racks

Light bomber PZL P-43B Bulgarian Air Force

Subsequently, the order was increased to 42 pieces with a delivery date by the summer of 1939. But in March 1939, after the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Nazi troops, the P-43s ready for dispatch were temporarily requisitioned for the Polish Air Force. The Bulgarians were unhappy and demanded that the Poles immediately return the planes to them. As a result, after much persuasion, 33 aircraft were sent to the Bulgarians, and the remaining 9 were ready for shipment and loaded into wagons on September 1. The Germans, who captured Poland, also did not give the planes to the Bulgarians, and at the end of 1939 they repaired all the captured planes and turned them into training bombers.

PZL P-43B light bomber at the Rechlin training center, Germany

Bulgarian bombers did not participate in the war, but played a positive role, forming the backbone of attack aircraft for some time. At the end of 1939, these bombers became part of the 1st Army Group of three squadrons, which also included 11 training aircraft. For some time they were in reserve, and since 1942, Polish P.43s were transferred to aviation schools, replacing them with German Ju.87D-5 dive bombers.

In addition to combat aircraft, Poland also supplied 5 PWS-16bis training aircraft.

Bulgarian PWS-16bis

All these purchases allowed in 1937 the Bulgarian Tsar Boris III to officially restore the Bulgarian military aviation as an independent type of troops, giving it the name "His Majesty's Air Force". In July 1938, 7 Bulgarian pilots went to Germany to the Werneuchen fighter aviation school, located 25 km northeast of Berlin, for training. There they had to undergo three courses at once - fighters, instructors and commanders of fighter units. Moreover, their training was carried out according to the same rules as the training of fighter pilots and instructors for the Luftwaffe. In March 1939, 5 more Bulgarian pilots arrived in Germany. Despite the fact that two Bulgarian pilots died during training, the pilots mastered the newest German fighter Messerschmitt Bf.109, and left Germany in July 1939. A total of 15 Bulgarian pilots were trained in Germany. Soon they were all assigned to a fighter aviation school at the Marnopol airfield, 118 km east of Sofia. There they trained young pilots who later formed the backbone of the Bulgarian fighter aviation.

Bulgarian pilots training in Germany

At the same time, the construction of our own Bulgarian aircraft continued. In 1936, engineer Kiril Petkov created the two-seat training aircraft DAR-8 "Slavoy" ("Nightingale") - the most beautiful Bulgarian biplane.

DAR-8 "Slava"

On the basis of the DAR-6, which did not go into production, he developed the DAR-6A, which, after additional improvement, became the DAR-9 “Siniger” (“Tit”). It successfully combined the positive aspects of the German training aircraft Heinkel 72, Focke-Wulf 44 and Avia-122, and in such a way as not to cause patent claims in Germany. For Bulgaria, this resulted in savings of 2 million gold leva. This amount would be required to purchase a license for the Focke-Wulf if production of the FV 44 was organized in DAR-Bozhurishte. In addition, for each aircraft produced, an additional payment of 15 thousand gold leva was required. On the other hand, one FV-44 Stieglitz aircraft purchased in Germany cost as much as two DAR-9s manufactured in Bulgaria. "Tits" served until the mid-50s as training aircraft in military aviation and flying clubs. After World War II, 10 aircraft of this type were transferred to the re-established Yugoslav Air Force. And today in the Zagreb Technical Museum you can see the DAR-9 with the insignia of the Yugoslav Air Force.

DAR-9 "Siniger" with Siemens Sh-14A engine

The development of aircraft continued at the Caproni-Bulgarsky plant. Based on the KB-2A "Chuchuliga" ("Lark") modifications "Chuchuliga" - I, II and III were created, of which 20, 28 and 45 vehicles were produced, respectively.

Training aircraft KB-3 "Chuchuliga I"

Light reconnaissance and training aircraft KB-4 "Chuchuliga II"

Light reconnaissance and training aircraft KB-4 "Chuchuliga II" at a field airfield

Moreover, the KB-5 "Chuchuliga-III" was created as a reconnaissance aircraft and light attack aircraft. It was armed with two 7.71 mm Vickers K machine guns and could carry 8 bombs weighing 25 kg each. As a training machine, the KB-5 flew in Air Force units until the early 50s.

In 1939, the Caproni Bulgarian company began developing the KB-6 light multipurpose aircraft, which later received the designation KB-309 Papagal (Parrot). It was created on the basis of the Italian Caproni - Ca 309 Ghibli and was used as a transport aircraft, with the ability to transport 10 passengers or 6 wounded on stretchers; a training bomber, for which two pneumatic bomb releasers were installed on it, each with 16 light (12 kg) bombs; as well as for the training of flight radio operators, for which radio equipment was installed on them and four training jobs were created. A total of 10 vehicles were produced, which flew in units of the Bulgarian Air Force until 1946. Bulgarian cars differed from their ancestor in more powerful engines, tail shape, chassis design and glazing scheme. The flight performance characteristics of the Parrot were higher than the Italian ones, since it was equipped with two 8-cylinder in-line V-shaped air-cooled Argus As 10C engines. The maximum power of this engine is 176.4 kW/240 hp. versus 143 kW/195 hp Italian aircraft with an Alfa-Romeo 115 engine.

KB-6 "Papagal"

KB-11 "Pheasant" is the last aircraft developed and mass-produced in Kazanlak. It appeared as a result of the 1939 competition for a light attack aircraft for front-line aviation, which was supposed to replace the Polish PZL P-43. The Pheasants were initially equipped with an Italian Alfa-Romeo 126RC34 engine with 770 hp. (a total of 6 cars were produced). Immediately before the outbreak of World War II, a contract was signed between Bulgaria and Poland for the construction of PZL-37 LOS bombers and Bristol-Pegasus XXI engines with a power of 930 hp were delivered. for them. However, due to the outbreak of World War II, the contract was terminated and it was decided to install the supplied engines on the KB-11. The aircraft equipped with the new engine were named KB-11A, had a maximum speed of 394 km/h and had two synchronized machine guns and one twin machine gun to protect the rear hemisphere. They carried 400 kg of bombs. A total of 40 KB-11 units were produced. The aircraft was in service with the Bulgarian Air Force from the end of 1941. It was used in the fight against Bulgarian and Yugoslav partisans. The planes took part in the first phase of the Patriotic War of 1944-1945 (as the military operations of the Bulgarian troops against Germany at the end of the Second World War are called in Bulgaria). But due to the similarity with the enemy Henschel-126 that attacked the Bulgarian positions, ground troops fired at them, and the Air Force command withdrew these vehicles from active combat activity. After the war, 30 Pheasants were transferred to the Yugoslav Air Force.

Light Bulgarian bomber and reconnaissance aircraft KB-11A

Bulgarian and Soviet officers against the background of the KB-11 Pheasant aircraft, autumn 1944.

The KB-11 "Pheasant" was adopted by the Bulgarian Air Force under pressure from the wife of Tsar Boris, Tsarina Joanna - the former Princess Giovanna of Savoy, daughter of the King of Italy, instead of the much better DAR-10 aircraft engineer Tsvetan Lazarov, which was created specifically as an attack aircraft. DAR-10 was a single-engine, cantilever monoplane with a low wing and fixed landing gear, entirely covered with aerodynamic fairings (bast feet). It was equipped with an Italian Alfa Romeo 126 RC34 engine with a power of 780 hp, which allowed it to reach a maximum speed of 410 km/h. Armed with a 20 mm synchronized cannon, two 7.92 mm machine guns in the wings and one 7.92 mm machine gun for tail protection. The possibility was provided for bombing both from horizontal flight and during a dive with bombs of 100 kg caliber (4 pieces) and 250 kg (1 bomb under the fuselage).

Bulgarian attack aircraft DAR-10A

In 1941, the contract between the Caproni di Milano company and the Bulgarian state expired. The plant in the vicinity of Kazanlak was renamed the state aircraft factory, which existed until 1954.

As I wrote above, the Bulgarians planned to establish licensed production of Polish medium bombers PZL-37 LOS ("Elk"), in addition, 15 bombers were ordered.

Bomber PZL-37В LOS Polish Air Force

The plant also planned to launch licensed production of Polish PZL P-24 fighters. Before September 1, 1939, a group of Polish engineers arrived in Bulgaria with plans for the ordered factory. The Polish specialists were greeted brotherly, they were awarded Bulgarian military orders and transported to Cairo through Bulgarian intelligence channels, since it was dangerous for them to remain in Bulgaria, where Gestapo agents were already beginning to appear more and more often. Based on the documentation delivered by the Poles, the plant was built, where the equipment of the first Bulgarian aircraft plant - DAR (Darzhavna Aeroplanna Worker) from Bozhurishte - was subsequently transferred, in connection with the outbreak of World War II and the threat of enemy bombing. But more on this later...

To be continued…

Based on materials from sites:
http://alternathistory.org.ua/
http://www.airwar.ru/index.html
http://www.airwiki.org/index.html
http://coollib.net/
http://padaread.com/

Designed to protect the freedom, independence and territorial integrity of the state. The armed forces include:

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✪ March "Farewell of the Slav" / Bulgaria 1877-1878.

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Separate detachments of Bulgarian volunteers appeared as part of the Russian army during the Crimean War of 1853-1856. . Even before the start of the war, Field Marshal General I. F. Paskevich suggested that Nicholas I call on the Bulgarians and Serbs to take military action against the Turkish troops, but his proposal did not meet with approval in St. Petersburg. In September 1853, a delegation from 37 parishes of Northwestern Bulgaria arrived at the Main Apartment of the Russian Army, whose delegates presented the “Petition of the Bulgarians to the Russian Tsar” and reported the readiness of the Bulgarian population to assist the Russian army after its crossing of the Danube. Subsequently, after the start of the war, Bulgarian volunteers began to join the Russian army (among whom were emigrants who had lived in the Russian Empire even before the start of the war, and residents of the Danube principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, and residents of other regions of Bulgaria). After the end of the war, the Bulgarian detachments were disbanded, some of the Bulgarian volunteers remained in the Russian Empire (it is known that over 80 Bulgarian volunteers, after leaving military service, settled in the Dalnobudzhak district, another volunteer Gencho Grekov settled in the Berdyansk district, and was awarded the gold medal "For Diligence "volunteer Fyodor Velkov settled in the Tauride province), but the other part returned to their homeland.

1878-1913

The first units of the Bulgarian army were formed in 1878, with the help of Russia, from militia units that took part in the April Uprising of 1876 and the battles for the liberation of Bulgaria from Turkish troops during the war of 1877-1878.

In 1885, the first female volunteer, Yonka Marinova, was accepted into the Bulgarian army (she became the only female soldier to participate in the 1885 war).

On April 28, 1888, by order of the Minister of War, the “Military Publishing House” was created, and the publication of the official magazine of the War Ministry began (“ Military magazine»).

In December 1899, a decision was made to rearm the Bulgarian army with an 8-mm Mannlicher repeating rifle mod. 1888.

In 1890, the General Staff was created ( Generalen shab).

In 1891, 8-mm Mannlicher repeating rifles mod. 1888/90

In 1902, the Russian-Bulgarian military convention was signed. In the fall of 1903, after the suppression of the Ilinden uprising in Macedonia by Turkish troops, the Bulgarian government increased military spending.

On December 31, 1903, a law was passed (“ The law for the organization of power in the Bulgarian Kingdom"), establishing a new organizational structure and recruitment procedure for the Bulgarian army. Those liable for military service were Bulgarian male subjects recognized as fit for military service, aged from 20 to 46 years (inclusive).

In 1907, the German 8-mm heavy machine gun MG.01/03 mod. was adopted by the Bulgarian army. 1904 (under the name "Maxim-Spandau").

As of 1912, the peacetime army consisted of 4,000 officers and 59,081 lower ranks - 9 divisions (each of four two-battalion regiments, which were to be reorganized into four-battalion regiments upon mobilization) and a number of individual units. In addition, it was envisaged to create reserve units (in total there were 133 thousand people, 300 guns and 72 machine guns in the reserve units) and separate militia battalions to perform security service in the rear.

After the creation of the Balkan Union in the spring of 1912, before the start of the First Balkan War, the armed forces of Bulgaria numbered 180 thousand people. During 1912, Russia supplied the Bulgarian army with 50,000 three-line rifles and 25,000 Berdan No. 2 rifles. The total cost of weapons and ammunition received by Bulgaria from the Russian Empire in the period until December 15, 1912 amounted to 224,229 rubles. In addition, the government allowed the departure of volunteers, the collection of funds and the dispatch of sanitary and medical units to Bulgaria. As a result, the Russian Red Cross sent a field military hospital with 400 beds and three field hospitals (with 100 beds each) to Bulgaria, and another four medical units (with 50 beds each) were sent to Bulgaria by the Nizhny Novgorod City Duma.

In 1912-1913, the First Balkan War took place, in which Bulgaria, in alliance with Serbia, Montenegro and Greece, fought against the Ottoman Empire. The war ended with the signing of the London Peace Treaty. Subsequently, Bulgaria participated in the Second Balkan War against its former allies in the anti-Turkish coalition.

In 1913, Bulgaria increased military spending to 2 billion leva (which accounted for more than half of the country's total budget expenditures). At the end of 1913, Bulgaria increased the purchase of weapons and ammunition from Austria-Hungary and Germany, at the same time the enrollment of cadets in the country’s military educational institutions was increasing, retraining of officers and non-commissioned officers of the Bulgarian army was being intensively carried out, taking into account the experience of the ended Balkan War, and ideological preparation for war (the publication of periodicals “People and Army” and “Military Bulgaria” began) and the dissemination of ideas for revising the Treaty of Bucharest.

1914-1918

On July 12, 1914, a German-Bulgarian agreement was signed, according to which the Bulgarian government received a loan in Germany in the amount of 500 million francs and accepted an obligation to spend 100 million francs from the loan received by placing a military order with enterprises in Germany and Austria-Hungary.

By the beginning of 1915, most of the Bulgarian army soldiers wore uniforms mod. 1908 (brown), although some units had already received the new gray-green field uniform.

On September 6, 1915, documents were signed on the accession of Bulgaria to the bloc of the Central Powers, according to which Germany and Austria-Hungary pledged to provide assistance to Bulgaria with military personnel, weapons and ammunition, and the Bulgarian government, in accordance with the military convention, pledged within 35 days after signing convention to start a war against Serbia.

On September 8 (21), 1915, Bulgaria announced mobilization (lasting from September 11 to 30, 1915) and on October 15, 1915, it entered the First World War on the side of the Central Powers (after the completion of mobilization, the Bulgarian army numbered about 500 thousand people consisting of 12 divisions). The total number of people mobilized into the Bulgarian armed forces during the war was 1 million.

As of October 14, 1915, the main type of rifle in the Bulgarian army was the Austrian rifles of the Mannlicher system of several modifications, but the reserve units were armed with rifles of other systems, including obsolete ones: 46,056 Russian three-line rifles mod. 1891, 12,982 Turkish Mauser rifles (trophies of the 1912 war), 995 Serbian Mauser rifles (trophies of the 1913 war), 54,912 Berdan rifles No. 2 mod. 1870, 12,800 Krnka rifles mod. 1869, etc. Also in service with the army were 248 German heavy machine guns of the Maxim system (another 36 captured Turkish machine guns of the Maxim system were in storage).

In addition, by the time it acted on the side of the Central Powers in October 1915, the Bulgarian army had up to 500 light guns (mainly 75-mm Schneider-Canet field guns model 1904), about 50 heavy guns of the Schneider system and about 50 pcs. 75-mm rapid-fire mountain guns Schneider-Canet with a significant supply of shells (during the war, shells for French-made guns in service with the Bulgarian army were supplied by Germany, which captured a significant number of captured shells in the warehouses of the French army on the Western Front).

In 1915-1918 Germany and Austria-Hungary supplied weapons, ammunition, equipment and other military equipment to the Bulgarian army. In addition, Germany donated large quantities of German field uniforms to the Bulgarian Army.

In February 1918, Germany practically stopped supplying weapons, equipment and uniforms to the Bulgarian army and military assistance to Bulgaria.

Austria-Hungary transferred several Schumann armored carriages to Bulgaria (in 1918, after the Entente troops went on the offensive, they were captured by the French Army of the East).

On September 24, 1918, the Bulgarian government turned to the Entente countries with a request to cease hostilities, and on September 29, 1918, a peace treaty was signed in the city of Thessaloniki.

Under the control of the Entente, demobilization was carried out: parts of the Bulgarian army were returned to garrisons and disbanded, and their weapons were taken to military and government warehouses. However, even before the signing of the agreement, the civil authorities and the military leadership of Bulgaria tried to preserve some of the weapons: secret warehouses were equipped in the country, in which they managed to hide a certain amount of small arms (pistols, rifles, machine guns), a significant amount of ammunition, hand grenades and artillery shells

1919-1930

In accordance with the Treaty of Neuilly, signed on November 27, 1919, the strength of the Bulgarian armed forces was reduced to 33 thousand people (20 thousand military personnel of the ground forces, 3 thousand military personnel of the border troops and 10 thousand in the gendarmerie), the navy was reduced to 10 ships, recruitment of the armed forces by conscription was prohibited.

On June 14, 1920, the government of A. Stamboliskiy decided to create construction troops (which were considered as a possible organized reserve for creating units of the Bulgarian army).

At the beginning of 1921, units of Wrangel’s army began to arrive in Bulgaria in an organized manner, which were located mainly in the barracks of the demobilized Bulgarian army (in total, about 35 thousand White emigrants arrived in the country by the end of 1921) and retained the right to carry military uniforms and weapons. On August 17, 1922, General P. N. Wrangel ordered General E. K. Miller to begin negotiations with representatives of the military-political circles of Bulgaria on the formation of a new government of Bulgaria, which was to include a Russian general from among the White emigrants as Minister of War, however Preparations for the coup d'etat were revealed, after which parts of the White emigrants who were in Bulgaria were deprived of extraterritoriality and disarmed.

Units of the Bulgarian army were used to suppress the peasant uprising on June 9-11, 1923 and the September Uprising (September 14-29, 1923).

On July 1, 1924, Bulgarian ministers A. Tsankov, I. Rusev, I. Vylkov and representatives of Wrangel’s army in Bulgaria (generals S. A. Ronzhin, F. F. Abramov and V. K. Vitkovsky) concluded a secret cooperation agreement, which provided for the possibility of arming and using units of Wrangel's army located in Bulgaria in the interests of the Bulgarian government.

In October 1925, in the area of ​​​​the city of Petrich on the line of the Bulgarian-Greek border, a border conflict took place: after a Bulgarian border guard shot a Greek border guard on October 19, 1925, the Greek government sent an ultimatum to the Bulgarian government, and on October 22, 1925, part of the VI Greek divisions crossed the border without declaring war and occupied ten villages on Bulgarian territory (Kulata, Chuchuligovo, Marino pole, Marikostinovo, Dolno Spanchevo, Novo Khodzhovo, Piperitsa and Lehovo). Bulgaria protested; on the left bank of the Struma River, Bulgarian border guards, with the assistance of volunteers from the local population, set up defensive positions and prevented the further advance of Greek troops; units of the 7th Bulgarian Infantry Division began moving to the border. On October 29, 1925, Greek troops retreated from occupied Bulgarian territory.

In the mid-1920s. The restoration of the military industry begins:

• in 1924-1927 A military plant of the Far Eastern Fleet was built in the city of Kazanlak.
• in 1925-1926 The first aircraft plant, DAR, was built in Bozhurisht, where aircraft production began.

1930-1940

In the 1930s, a rapprochement between the government circles of Bulgaria, Germany and Italy began, including in the field of military cooperation, which intensified after the signing of the pact on the creation of the “Balkan Entente” on February 9, 1934 and the military coup on May 19, 1934. During the same period, supplies of weapons and military equipment began from Germany and Italy.

In 1936, instead of the German helmet model 1916, the steel helmet model 1936 was adopted by the Bulgarian army. New helmets began to arrive in the army from the beginning of 1937, but German helmets also continued to be used (in reserve units).

On July 9, 1936, the construction of a plant for the production of artillery ammunition began in the city of Sopot (the opening of the plant took place on July 12, 1940), after which the plant began production of fuses, hand grenades, as well as 22 mm, 75 mm, 105 mm and 122 -mm shells.

On July 18, 1936, Tsar Boris III signed decree No. 310 on the creation of a civil defense system to protect the population from air raids and chemical weapons.

On July 31, 1937, the Bulgarian government adopted an army rearmament program, its financing was undertaken by England and France, which provided Bulgaria with a loan of $10 million.

From the beginning of 1938, Bulgaria began negotiations with Germany about the possibility of concluding an agreement on obtaining a loan for the purchase of weapons. On March 12, 1938, a secret protocol was signed, according to which Germany provided Bulgaria with a loan of 30 million Reichsmarks for the purchase of weapons.

On May 13, 1938, in Sofia, Turkish Foreign Minister Rüşto Aras and Turkish Prime Minister Celal Bayar, on behalf of all countries of the Balkan Entente, proposed to Bulgaria to conclude an agreement recognizing its equality in matters of weapons in exchange for a declaration of non-aggression by the Bulgarian government.

On July 31, 1938, the Thessaloniki Agreements were signed, according to which, from August 1, 1938, restrictions on increasing the army were lifted from Bulgaria, and they were also allowed to send Bulgarian troops into previously demilitarized zones on the borders with Greece and Turkey.

Subsequently, an increase in military spending, the size and armament of the Bulgarian army began. At the same time, the Bulgarian government began developing the military industry.

After the occupation of Czechoslovakia in March 1939, Germany began supplying captured Czechoslovak-made weapons to the Bulgarian army: in particular, 12 Aero MB.200 bombers (French Bloch MB.200 bombers produced under license in Czechoslovakia) were transferred to Bulgaria; 32 Avia B.71 bombers (Soviet SB bombers, produced under license in Czechoslovakia); 12 Avia B.135B fighters; Avia B.534 fighters; Letov Š-328 reconnaissance aircraft; Avia B.122 training aircraft; small arms (in particular, CZ.38 pistols, ZK-383 submachine guns, ZB vz. 26 machine guns). Later, 36 tanks LT vz.35 and others were received.

After the occupation of Norway in the spring of 1940, Germany began supplying captured weapons captured in Norway to Bulgaria.

1941-1945

In January 1941, the Germans delivered ten Stoewer R200 Spezial 40 SUVs to the Bulgarian army.

On April 19-20, 1941, in accordance with an agreement between Germany, Italy and the Bulgarian government, units of the Bulgarian army crossed the borders with Yugoslavia and Greece without declaring war and occupied territories in Macedonia and Northern Greece.

On June 25, 1941, an armored regiment was formed as part of the Bulgarian army (based on the 1st tank battalion created in 1939).

On November 25, 1941, Bulgaria joined the Anti-Comintern Pact.

On December 13, 1941, Bulgaria declared war on the United States and Great Britain, but the Bulgarian army did not take an active part in hostilities against the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition.

At the beginning of 1943, a parachute battalion was created as part of the Bulgarian army.

In July 1943, the Germans began rearmament of the Bulgarian army. In accordance with the rearmament program (commonly called the “Barbar Plan”), the Germans supplied 61 PzKpfw IV tanks, 10 Pz.Kpfw.38(t) tanks, 55 StuG 40 assault guns, 20 armored vehicles (17 Sd.Kfz.222 and 3 Sd.Kfz.223), artillery pieces and other weapons.

On September 1, 1943, the first motorized formation was created as part of the Bulgarian army: an automobile regiment ( General Army Kamionen Regiment).

In 1944, military expenditures accounted for 43.8% of all state budget expenditures. The total strength of the Bulgarian army was 450 thousand people (21 infantry divisions, 2 cavalry divisions and 2 border brigades), it was armed with 410 aircraft, 80 combat and auxiliary vessels.

With the Eastern Front approaching the borders of Bulgaria, on September 5, 1944, the Bulgarian government declared war on Germany. As of September 5, 1944, the total strength of the Bulgarian army was 510 thousand people (5 combined arms armies, 22 divisions and 5 brigades), it was armed with 143 armored vehicles (the basis of the tank fleet was 97 German medium tanks Pz.Kpfw. IVG and Pz.Kpfw.IVH). The total number of vehicles in the troops was small, all convoys and artillery were predominantly horse-drawn, so the units and formations of the Bulgarian army were inactive.

Subsequently, on September 9, 1944, as a result of the September Revolution, the government of the Fatherland Front came to power in the country, which decided to create Bulgarian People's Army.

The Bulgarian People's Army included fighters of partisan detachments and combat groups, activists of the Resistance movement and 40 thousand volunteers. In total, by the end of the war, 450 thousand people were drafted into the new army, of which 290 thousand took part in hostilities.

Also, during this period, the Bulgarian army began to receive weapons and military equipment from the USSR.

In addition, the training of military personnel of the Bulgarian army in military educational institutions of the USSR began - by February 15, 1945, 21 Bulgarian officers and generals were studying and undergoing advanced training in Soviet military academies.

Bulgarian troops took part in hostilities against Germany on the territory of Yugoslavia, Hungary and Austria, took part in the Belgrade operation, the battle at Lake Balaton, together with units of the NOAU liberated the cities of Kumanovo, Skopje, the Kosovo Polje region...

As a result of the fighting of the Bulgarian troops, German troops lost 69 thousand military personnel killed and captured, 21 aircraft (20 aircraft were destroyed and one He-111 was captured), 75 tanks, 937 guns and mortars, 4 thousand cars and vehicles ( 3,724 cars, as well as tractors, motorcycles, etc.), 71 steam locomotives and 5,769 carriages, a significant amount of weapons, ammunition, equipment and military property.

Between the beginning of September 1944 and the end of the war, the losses of the Bulgarian army amounted to 31,910 military personnel in battles against the German army and its allies; 360 soldiers and officers of the Bulgarian army were awarded Soviet orders, 120 thousand military personnel were awarded the medal “For Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.” .

According to official data from the Bulgarian government, direct military expenditures by Bulgaria during the period of military operations on the side of the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition amounted to 95 billion leva.

1945-1990

In July 1945, the Minister of War of Bulgaria turned to the USSR with a request to provide assistance in building the country's armed forces: to send instructors to the country to train military personnel of the Bulgarian army, to provide weapons for 7 infantry divisions and 2 thousand vehicles. Ultimately, after negotiations and the signing of an agreement on military assistance, in 1946-1947. The USSR transferred to Bulgaria 398 tanks, 726 guns and mortars, 31 aircraft, 2 torpedo boats, 6 sea hunters, 1 destroyer, three small submarines, 799 vehicles, 360 motorcycles, as well as small arms, ammunition, communications equipment and fuel.

In addition, the training of Bulgarian army personnel in military educational institutions of the USSR continued - in 1947, 34 Bulgarian officers and generals studied and underwent advanced training at Soviet military academies.

After the end of the war, the international situation on the borders of Bulgaria remained difficult due to the outbreak of the Cold War and the ongoing civil war in Greece. In 1947, British troops were withdrawn from Greece, but they were replaced by US troops. In addition, in accordance with the “Truman Doctrine”, intensive and large-scale military preparations began in Turkey and Greece in 1948, which included the formation, arming and training of the armed forces of Turkey and Greece and the movement of their armed forces in the immediate vicinity of the borders of Bulgaria . The development of the military industry began in Bulgaria, and a defensive line was built on the border with Turkey.

In May 1946, the Tsar Krum officer organization operating in the army, which was preparing a military coup, was exposed. After this, on July 2, 1946, the People's Assembly adopted the “Law on the Control and Leadership of Troops”, 2 thousand officers were dismissed from the army (at the same time, benefits and financial assistance were provided for retired officers).

In 1947, German-made armored vehicles were removed from service with the Bulgarian army (although some of the equipment remained in storage for some time and was used during exercises).

In 1948, the central sports club of the Bulgarian People's Army - "Septemvrian Banner" - was created.

In 1951, the Central Directorate of Local Air Defense was created ( Central control at Mestnata Anti-Aircraft Selected) and the Defense Assistance Organization (which trained drivers, tractor drivers, motorcyclists, auto mechanics, pilots, sailors, radio operators and other technical specialists for the armed forces and the civilian sector of the country's economy).

In May 1955, Bulgaria joined the Warsaw Pact Organization.

During this period, the following were subordinate to the Ministry of Defense:

In 1956, the SU-100 self-propelled artillery mounts entered service with the Bulgarian army.

In February 1958, the law “On General Military Service” was adopted, according to which the duration of military service in the army, air force and air defense was two years, and in the navy - three years.

In 1962, the border troops were transferred to the Ministry of People's Defense (but in 1972 they were transferred to the Ministry of Internal Affairs).

Due to the deterioration of the military-political situation after the military coup in Greece in April 1967, from August 20 to 27, 1967, military exercises “Rhodope” were held on the territory of Bulgaria, in which Bulgarian, Soviet and Romanian troops took part.

In 1968, the Bulgarian armed forces took part in Operation Danube. The operation was attended by the 12th and 22nd motorized rifle regiments (which included 2,164 military personnel at the beginning of the operation and 2,177 when leaving Czechoslovakia), as well as one Bulgarian tank battalion - 26 T-34 tanks.

1990s - 2000s

In the 1990s, reform of the armed forces began, during which the size of the army was significantly reduced.

In 1992-1993 Bulgaria took part in the UN peacekeeping operation in Cambodia (UNTAC). Bulgarian military personnel were part of the UN peacekeeping contingent in Cambodia from May 4, 1992 to November 27, 1993.

In the spring of 1994, the first meeting of the Bulgarian-American working group on defense issues was held in Sofia, at which it was decided to begin preparing an agreement on cooperation between the United States and Bulgaria in the military field.

In April 1994, a cooperation plan between the armed forces of Bulgaria and Austria was signed, which provided for the training of Bulgarian military personnel in Austria.

In 1994, the total number of Bulgarian armed forces was 96 thousand people, the military budget was reduced to 11 billion leva. During 1994, negative phenomena and corruption intensified in the armed forces, and the number of fatal incidents among military personnel increased.

At the end of 1996, the question of NATO membership was raised for the first time during the presidential elections (the proposal was voiced by a candidate from the United Democratic Forces of Bulgaria). On February 17, 1997, the Bulgarian parliament approved the decision to join NATO. That same year, at the Madrid NATO summit, Bulgaria (among six other candidate countries) was officially invited to join NATO. In 1999, as a candidate country, Bulgaria allowed the use of its airspace for the overflight of NATO aircraft participating in military operations against Yugoslavia.

In 1998, the Accounts Chamber of the Government of Bulgaria conducted an audit of the state of the country's strategic reserves and military warehouses in the cities of Sofia, Plovdiv, Pleven and Varna. As a result of the inspection, it was established that in the event of full mobilization of supplies, supplies for the armed forces would only last for three to four days, since the reserves of raw materials and finished products (according to documents, listed as wartime strategic reserves) were sold in violation of the law, stolen or lost under unknown circumstances.

During the same period, the rearmament of the Bulgarian army with NATO standard weapons began.

• In 2002, at the request of NATO, the Bulgarian government disbanded the missile units of the ground forces.

On January 21, 2002, the Bulgarian government decided to send a military contingent to Afghanistan, and on February 16, 2002, the first 32 military personnel were sent to Afghanistan. In 2003, a decision was made to increase the size of the Bulgarian contingent within ISAF and expand the tasks assigned to it. In December 2008, the size of the Bulgarian contingent in Afghanistan was 460 military personnel, and a decision was made to further increase the number of troops. As of the beginning of 2012, the number of Bulgarian troops in Afghanistan was 614 military personnel. Subsequently, the number of contingents was slightly reduced - to 606 people. by the beginning of August 2012. At the same time, it was announced that the withdrawal of the Bulgarian military contingent would begin in 2013 and be completed by the end of 2014. As of December 3, 2012, the strength of the contingent was 581 military personnel, as of August 1, 2013 - 416 military personnel.

In 2003, the Bulgarian government decided to send a military contingent to Iraq, and in August 2003, 485 military personnel were sent to Iraq. Under public pressure, in December 2005 (after 13 Bulgarian soldiers and 6 civilians were killed in Iraq), the Bulgarian contingent was withdrawn from Iraq, but on February 22, 2006, the Bulgarian government again decided to send 155 military personnel to Iraq. In December 2008, the Bulgarian contingent was finally withdrawn from Iraq.

In total, from August 22, 2003 to December 31, 2008, Bulgaria sent 3,367 military personnel to Iraq, the casualties of the contingent amounted to 13 military personnel killed and over 30 wounded, the cost of maintaining the contingent amounted to about 170 million leva.

On March 29, 2004, Bulgaria joined NATO.

As of 2004, the total strength of the Bulgarian armed forces was 61 thousand regular army personnel and 303 thousand reservists, another 27 thousand served in other paramilitary forces (12 thousand in the border troops, 7 thousand in the construction troops, 5 thousand - in the civil protection service, 2 thousand - in the paramilitary security of the Ministry of Transport and 1 thousand - in the state security service).

On April 28, 2006, in Sofia, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ivaylo Kalfin and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice signed the Defense Cooperation Agreement, which provided for the creation of US military bases on Bulgarian territory. On 26 May 2006, the Bulgarian Parliament ratified the agreement, which came into force on 12 June 2006.

In 2007, the Balkan combat group of the armed forces of the European Union countries was formed (“ Balkan Battle Group", at least 1,500 military personnel), which included units of the armed forces of Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus.

In November 2007, Bulgaria ordered 7 M1117 ASV armored vehicles from the United States, which were received in 2008. In addition, through the Solidarity with Coalition Forces in Iraq fund, in 2008, the United States transferred 52 HMMWV vehicles to Bulgaria with a total value of $17 million.

On December 29, 2010, the Bulgarian government adopted a plan for the reform and development of the armed forces for the period until 2015 (“ Plan for organizational and modernization of forces until 2015."), which provided for the continuation of military reform.

As of the beginning of 2011, the number of Bulgarian armed forces was 31,315 regular army personnel and 303 thousand reservists, another 34 thousand served in other paramilitary forces (12 thousand in the border troops, 4 thousand in the security police and 18 thousand - as part of the railway and construction troops). The armed forces were recruited by conscription.

In 2012, the number of military personnel in the Bulgarian army decreased by more than 1,500 people.

On February 5, 2015, at a meeting of NATO defense ministers, a decision was made to establish a NATO rapid reaction force command center in Bulgaria. According to Bulgarian Defense Minister Nikolai Nenchev, the center will be created in Sofia, its work will be supported by 50 employees (25 military personnel of the Bulgarian army and 25 military personnel from other NATO countries).

On 12 March 2015, Bulgarian Defense Minister N. Nenchev reported that since joining NATO in 2004 until the end of 2014, Bulgaria has participated in 21 NATO operations; Bulgaria's expenses for participation in NATO operations during this time amounted to BGN 689,177,485.

Distinguishing marks

Professional holidays

Notes

1. "Wars for the Unification of Bulgaria"
2. V. Gomelsky. Military Police Service of the Republic of Bulgaria // “Foreign Military Review”, No. 10 (787), October 2012. pp. 49-52
3. Law for select and bring to force the Republic Bulgaria(Bulgarian) . Dzhaven messenger. - Law on the Defense and Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria. Archived March 12, 2012.
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