New era begins for Bulgarian Navy with delivery of first home-built warship in a century

December 9, 2025, by Fatima Bahtić

The Bulgarian Navy has taken delivery of the first multipurpose modular patrol vessel (MMPV), the first domestically built warship in a century.

The MMPV project, comprising two MMPVs, is currently the Bulgarian Navy’s largest newbuild project. Both vessels are being built by MTG Dolphin in Varna under the agreement with German shipbuilder NVL and with the involvement of numerous Bulgarian and international suppliers.

The 90-meter-long ships feature an integrated combat management system. With a displacement of more than 2,300 tons, both vessels are capable of countering air and land-based threats as well as surface and undersea threats. Accordingly, the vessels are predestined for tasks within the framework of international alliance missions for NATO and the EU.

The project is being managed by NVL in cooperation with its subsidiary Naval Technology Bulgaria (NTB). Since the start, the program has had numerous positive effects on local value creation and employment through the integration of local suppliers, for example, for interior fittings and air conditioning, and ventilation systems, according to NVL.

“We are very proud to have achieved this significant milestone as the Bulgarian Navy receives the first of its two complex state-of-the-art corvettes on schedule. Together with our customer, our shipyard partner MTG Dolphin, and our national and international partners, we have delivered a highly efficient and effective vessel to the Bulgarian Navy,” said Tim Wagner, CEO of NVL.

The second corvette for the Bulgarian Navy is in an advanced stage of production and remains on schedule.

Bulgarian Navy’s second multi-purpose patrol vessel hits the water (Gallery)

Vessels

Bulgarian Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov, who attended the delivery ceremony on December 8, emphasized the exceptional importance of the consistent policy for the modernization of the Bulgarian Armed Forces.

Zapryanov added that the current government continues to work on the modernization of the armed forces and invests in military capabilities. He announced that he expects Bulgaria to soon receive approval from the European Commission for the nine projects under the SAFE mechanism, two of which are related to the acquisition of additional missiles for the two new ships.