Bulgaria to further secure Black Sea access points with new Norwegian-made Naval Strike Missiles launchers.

On July 21, 2025, the U.S. Department of State approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Bulgaria of a Naval Strike Missile Coastal Defense System (NSM CDS) and associated support, with an estimated cost of $620 million. The proposed sale includes equipment and services intended to improve Bulgaria’s defense capabilities and contribute to NATO interoperability. The Department of State stated that the acquisition supports U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives by assisting a NATO ally considered a stabilizing force in Europe. According to the agency, the sale would not alter the basic military balance in the region, and Bulgaria is expected to be able to integrate the system into its armed forces without difficulty.
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The Naval Strike Missile Coastal Defense System (NSM CDS) is a Norwegian ground-based Surface-to-Surface Missile (SSM) system capable of planning and executing up to 48 simultaneous NSM engagements using either salvo or coordinated time-on-target methods. (Picture source: Kongsberg)

The Bulgarian government requested one complete Naval Strike Missile Coastal Defense System, which includes tactical Naval Strike Missiles, inert and telemetered missiles, three Link-16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System – Joint Tactical Radio Systems (MIDS-JTRS), operator trainer consoles, mobile fire control centers with associated communications equipment, mobile missile launch vehicles with associated communications equipment, NSM transport loading vehicles, NavStrike-M GPS receivers, and Simple Key Loaders (SKL). The package also includes support equipment and services such as technical publications, software support, spare parts, training documentation, training simulators, technical data packages, integration services, and technical assistance from both the U.S. government and the original equipment manufacturer. The principal contractor for this sale is Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace AS, based in Kongsberg, Norway. No offset arrangement has been proposed, although one may be negotiated. Implementation of the sale will involve three to five U.S. government and contractor representatives stationed in Bulgaria for up to five years.

Bulgaria’s acquisition of land‑based Naval Strike Missiles sharply enhances its ability to defend coastal and maritime zones along the Black Sea by extending its engagement reach well beyond 300 km. Geographically, Bulgaria’s nearly 380 km shoreline and proximity to key ports, Varna and Burgas, make it vulnerable to naval threats, sea mines, hybrid tactics, and potential disruption to trade, energy infrastructure, and sea lanes. Operationally, these ground‑based missile systems, mounted on mobile launchers integrated with Link‑16 networks and plug‑and‑fight fire control, enable precise, coordinated strikes against multiple moving or fixed sea and land targets, including vessels, offshore pipelines, command sites, and coastal infrastructure. This capability improves deterrence against armed provocations, protects civilians and maritime commerce, and counters mine‑laying or electronic attacks that could close sea lanes under the Montreux Convention. Politically, the systems strengthen Bulgaria’s role in NATO’s tailored Black Sea presence and air‑sea control framework, supporting allied coordination in a region at the center of geopolitical competition. By replacing the outdated 4K51 Rubezh/P‑15 Termit batteries, which lacked range, stealth, precision, and network integration, and aligning with Bulgaria’s defense modernization, these missiles fill critical capability gaps in range, interoperability, and multi‑target engagement.

The Naval Strike Missile Coastal Defense System (NSM CDS) is a Norwegian ground-based Surface-to-Surface Missile (SSM) system consisting of three main components: a Fire Control Center (FCC), missile launcher fire units containing the Naval Strike Missile, and an optional sea surveillance and tracking radar selected by the customer. The system architecture enables integration into existing command and control structures and permits the simultaneous engagement of multiple targets with over-the-horizon (OTH) capabilities. The FCC is vehicle-independent and based on the Kongsberg BMC4I Fire Distribution Center (FDC), already delivered in over 120 configurations to NATO and non-NATO countries. The system allows planning and execution of up to 48 simultaneous NSM engagements using either salvo or coordinated time-on-target methods. Target data can be provided by organic sensors or transmitted via tactical data links such as JREAP, Link 11A/B, Link 16, Asterix, or other customer-specific protocols through an open architecture software and hardware structure.

The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) weighs 407 kilograms, has a length of 3.96 meters, and operates at high subsonic speed. It is guided by a combination of GPS-aided inertial navigation systems (GAINS), a laser altimeter, terrain contour matching (TERCOM), and an imaging infrared seeker capable of autonomous target recognition (ATR). The missile is capable of striking sea targets including small vessels constructed from glass fiber reinforced plastics (GFRP), large combatants such as destroyers and frigates, and vessels with thick hulls such as icebreakers. It also has a land attack function aimed at fixed, soft targets including harbor infrastructure, command and control sites, air defense installations, and vessels moored alongside jetties. It uses passive sensors and features sea-skimming and overland low flight, programmable end-game maneuvers, and low radar cross section to improve survivability. The terminal warhead consists of a 120-kilogram titanium-cased penetrating blast and controlled fragmentation charge.

The NSM CDS has been selected by Poland, the United States (NMESIS), and Romania for coastal defense applications. The NSM missile has been chosen for ship-based installations by Norway, Malaysia, Germany, Canada, Australia, Spain, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the United States. Denmark has integrated it on Iver Huitfeldt-class frigates, while Belgium, Germany, and Canada have committed to future acquisitions. The system has been deployed in exercises such as RIMPAC, where it was fired from naval platforms including the USS Gabrielle Giffords and shore-based Marine Corps units using the NMESIS configuration. Australia has signed an agreement to manufacture and service NSMs locally starting in 2027 at a new facility near Newcastle, New South Wales. Poland’s acquisition includes mobile batteries on Jelcz trucks and radar integration, while Romania’s deliveries are expected to conclude by the end of 2028. The U.S. Marine Corps plans to deploy 261 NMESIS systems by 2033, while Spain and the Netherlands are examining submarine-launched variants of the related Joint Strike Missile.

The Fire Distribution Center (FDC), a central command and control node in the NSM CDS architecture, is used in a variety of configurations including NASAMS, HAWK, and BOC programs. More than 200 FDCs have been delivered globally. The FDC supports centralized and autonomous operations, threat evaluation, engagement coordination, time-to-intercept calculation, emission control, mission planning, and tactical data link management. It offers a single integrated air or surface picture shared across the network and performs sensor control, track classification, friendly force protection, and kill assessment. The open tactical framework software allows national customization and future growth. The FDC is hardware-agnostic and can be installed on customer-defined vehicles or deployed in static shelters. Configurations include GBAD operation centers, battery-level FDCs, SHORAD coordination nodes, and modules tailored for precision fires across joint domains. The architecture allows integration with legacy systems and enables battle management across land, air, and maritime domains through mature and fielded network access protocols.

The acquisition of the NSM CDS will also allow Bulgaria to replace its aging 4K51 Rubezh missile system, which was based on the Soviet P-15 Termit (NATO reporting name: Styx). The P-15 was a large, liquid-fueled anti-ship cruise missile introduced by the Soviet Union in the 1960s. It had a range of 40 to 80 kilometers and used active radar homing or infrared guidance. The Rubezh system, a mobile coastal defense platform based on the P-15, was equipped with two missile launch canisters mounted on a modified truck chassis. Though widely used during the Cold War by Soviet-aligned countries, the 4K51 system lacks the range, survivability, precision, and networking capabilities of modern missile systems. Replacing it with the NSM CDS introduces improved target discrimination, longer reach, and full integration with NATO tactical data systems.