There will be an increase in defense spending in 2027. This was announced by Prime Minister Rumen Radev to the media during demonstrations of capabilities and combat skills after the end of the final stage of the “Hawk Eye 26“ competition, which was held at the “Slivnitsa“ Training Center.
"I am extremely impressed by what I saw both in terms of capabilities and skills. "Enormous progress has been made in two years," Radev commented after the demonstrations.
"In 2026, we have 2.13% of GDP in defense spending, the ambition is for 2027, despite the difficult budget situation, for the army to grow. This is our coalition obligation," Radev pointed out.
During the briefing at the “Slivnitsa“ training ground, the emphasis was on the need for the rapid implementation of modern unmanned systems and the development of defense science and an industrial base. The soldiers of the Land Forces demonstrated real combat skills and practical abilities to control drones in conditions of modern conflicts.
The interest in the demonstrations in Slivnitsa also comes against the backdrop of the increasing incidents in the region, including the cases of August 2026, when a drone entered and exploded on Bulgarian territory near the border with Romania. This necessitated the re-basing of equipment and strengthening of radar coverage capabilities in the country.
Eight teams from the Land Forces formations participate in the “Hawk Eye 26“ competition, with the soldiers demonstrating knowledge and practical skills in controlling unmanned aerial systems. After the final stage of “Hawk Eye 26“ The winners will be awarded.
The competition was opened on September 18 by the Deputy Commander of the Land Forces, Brigadier General Plamen Yordanov. It is conducted according to the rules for safe flight of the European regulations for the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in the unrestricted category.