2011 Annual Report on the Status of Defence and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria Sofia, 2012 г. Report on the status of Defence and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 2 2. Defence policy priorities and approaches ................................................................................................. 3 2.1. Defence policy and the security environment ............................................................................................................. 3 2.2. Development and functioning of the MoD as a modern institution of a democratic state ........................................ 4 2.3. MoD transparency and accountability policy .............................................................................................................. 5 2.3.1. Effective management and elimination of conditions for corruption.................................................................... 5 2.3.2. Information policy .................................................................................................................................................. 6 2.3.3. Control and audit activities .................................................................................................................................... 6 2.4. Financial resources ...................................................................................................................................................... 7 2.5. Policy budget programs execution .............................................................................................................................. 9 2.5.1. Sector policy “Defence capabilities” ..................................................................................................................... 9 2.5.2. Sector policy “Allied and International security” ................................................................................................. 10 3. Armed Forces and defence capabilities ................................................................................................... 10 3.1. Land Forces ............................................................................................................................................................... 11 3.2. Air Force ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………................13 3.3. Naval Forces .............................................................................................................................................................. 14 3.4. Execution of the missions of the Armed forces ......................................................................................................... 16 3.5. Participation in missions and operations .................................................................................................................. 17 3.5.1. NATO missions and operations ............................................................................................................................ 17 3.5.2. EU missions and operations ................................................................................................................................. 17 3.5.3. UN missions and operations ................................................................................................................................ 18 3.5.4. Operations and missions in support of the population ........................................................................................ 18 3.6. Joint training ................................................................................................................................................................ 19 3.7. Development of National defence and the Armed forces conceptual and doctrinal documents ................................ 20 3.8. Armament and equipment .......................................................................................................................................... 21 3.8.1. Policies and approaches to armaments and equipment .......................................................................................... 21 3.8.2. Ministry of Defence Investment Plan-Programme - 2020 ........................................................................................ 22 3.8.3. Development of capabilities in cooperation with allies and partners ...................................................................... 22 3.8.4. Disposal of excess ammunitions ............................................................................................................................... 23 3.8.5. Offset practice policy ................................................................................................................................................ 24 3.9. Technology, research and development projects ....................................................................................................... 24 4.People in defence ....................................................................................................................................... 24 4.1. Status of the Ministry of Defence and the Armed forces manning .............................................................................. 25 4.2. NATO, EU and other international organizations headquarters positions .................................................................. 25 4.3. Recruitment and career development ......................................................................................................................... 26 4.4. Military educational system ........................................................................................................................................ 26 4.5. Social status and motivation ....................................................................................................................................... 27 4.6. Social cooperation policy ............................................................................................................................................. 28 5.International and Euro-Atlantic security, international peace and stability ................................................... 28 5.1. The European Union – Common Security and Defence policy ..................................................................................... 28 5.2. NATO – Collective Defence and Allied security policy .................................................................................................. 29 5.3. Usability of the Armed Forces ...................................................................................................................................... 30 5.4. International cooperation ............................................................................................................................................ 30 6. Defence support and provision ............................................................................................................... 31 page 1 Report on the status of Defence and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria 2011 6.1. Intelligence .................................................................................................................................................................. 31 6.2. Communication and information provision ................................................................................................................. 32 6.3. Logistic support............................................................................................................................................................ 32 6.4. Defence infrastructure ................................................................................................................................................. 33 6.5. Military standardization, certification and codification .............................................................................................. 34 7. Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................... 34 8. Where to focus our efforts ..................................................................................................................... 35 1. INTRODUCTION The 2011 Annual report on the status of Defence and the Armed forces of the Republic of Bulgaria was elaborated on the basis of article 23 of the Law on Defence and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria. In addition to the above-quoted legal commitment, during the past year quarterly reports on the activities of the Ministry of Defence were published as well. The political efforts in the sphere of defence in 2011 were concentrated on fulfilling the aims, objectives and priorities set in the National Security Strategy, the National Defence Strategy, the White paper on Defence and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Plan for Development of the Armed Forces (PDAF) and the Investment Plan-Programme of the Ministry of Defence – 2020 (MoD IPP - 2020). In 2011 the national defence policy of the Republic of Bulgaria was carried out in a dynamic and contradictory international security environment. In order to stabilize the situation in Afghanistan, Libya, the Middle East and other world crises regions, it was necessary to engage