The Bulgarian army will have new assault rifles within two years, Land Forces Commander General Deyan Deshkov said in an interview with 24 Chasa.  

The modernization, worth over EUR 1.5 million, is being carried out by Arsenal munitions factory in Kazanlak. The new rifles will have telescopic butts and will allow the attachment of grenade launchers, optics, night-time and laser sight. 120 of the new automatic rifles have been tested and approved for all branches of the land forces. Only then has the big commission placed. The caliber remains the same – 7.62 - because the army has a huge quantity of cartridges of this caliber. The new assault rifles will be made operational practically at the same time as the new Stryker armoured vehicles. All personnel equipment and uniforms will be modernized and will match NATO standards.