Greece to assist Bulgaria with ballistic missile defence as regional alert rises

Greece will assist Bulgaria with ballistic missile defence following a request from Sofia, Defence Minister Nikos Dendias announced after a fresh contact with his Bulgarian counterpart Atanas Zapryanov.

According to a statement from the Greek defence ministry, Athens informed Sofia that it is ready to provide “any possible assistance” to protect Bulgaria from potential ballistic threats linked to the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

The Greek commitment comes as southeastern Europe moves into a period of heightened security alert, with developments in the Middle East increasingly influencing regional defence planning.

At the operational level, following a decision by Greece’s Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence (KYSEA), a MIM-104 Patriot battery is being deployed to northern Greece to provide ballistic missile coverage for a large part of Bulgarian territory.

At the same time, a pair of F-16 Fighting Falcon jets is being redeployed to an airbase in the same geographic area to provide additional air cover, giving the Greek support an immediate operational dimension.

Dendias stressed that the deployment follows an official request from Bulgaria and underlined that the move does not affect Greece’s own ballistic missile defence capabilities. The clarification appears aimed at reassuring domestic audiences that assistance to an allied country will not weaken Greece’s national defence readiness.

The initiative takes on additional significance as it unfolds amid rising regional tensions. Bulgarian Defence Minister Zapryanov recently described the launch of a ballistic missile from Iran towards Turkey as a “dangerous escalation”, adding that Sofia is considering further readiness measures within the framework of NATO.

The development highlights increasing operational coordination along the Alliance’s south-eastern flank. Air and missile defence in the region is increasingly treated as a shared responsibility among allies, particularly during periods of geopolitical tension, when national capabilities are integrated into a broader framework of collective deterrence.

Until now, Bulgaria has largely relied on the protection provided by a single MIM-104 Patriot battery deployed by NATO forces in Turkey to guard against potential missile threats originating from Iran.

At the same time, Bulgaria faces significant structural challenges in securing its own airspace. The country still relies primarily on ageing Soviet-era systems, including S-300 air defence complexes and Mikoyan MiG-29 jets. The operational life of the MiG-29 fleet is almost exhausted and maintaining the aircraft has become increasingly difficult.

Although Bulgaria received its first batch of new F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters in 2025, the armed forces have not yet fully integrated the aircraft technologically into operational service.

The country also lacks modern radar systems capable of providing full national coverage and continues to rely on outdated Soviet radar equipment with limited operational capacity.

At the beginning of the war involving Iran, Bulgaria’s caretaker government initially assessed that there was no immediate threat to the country. However, the position was quickly reassessed after the launch of an Iranian ballistic missile towards Turkey.

Following a meeting of the Security Council at the Council of Ministers, Zapryanov said Bulgaria could request additional reinforcement of its air defence capabilities if NATO’s supreme command concludes that the security situation requires it.

The presence of US military aircraft at Sofia International Airport in Bulgaria have sparked widespread speculation and concern, particularly in the context of the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

U.S. military buildup in Bulgaria amid Iran tensions: Sofia Airport deployment raises alarms

Caption: The Greek Minister for National Defence Nikos Dendias posted on X this visual with the following test: “I spoke again with my Bulgarian counterpart, Mr. Atanas Zapryanov, and informed him that Greece will provide all possible assistance for the anti-ballistic protection of Bulgaria from Iran.”