Building a NATO multinational battlegroup in Bulgaria

The Bulgarian and US Armies are hard at work setting up a new NATO multinational battlegroup. After Russias brutal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Allies agreed to strengthen the existing NATO battlegroups in the Baltic states and in Poland, and to establish four new multinational battlegroups in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia to reinforce Allied deterrence and defence. In Bulgaria, a team of advisors from the US Armys 4th Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) is helping set up the new multinational battlegroup. Drawing on years of experience, theyre working alongside the Bulgarian 42nd Mechanised Battalion and a company of infantry from the US Armys 3rd Armoured Brigade Combat Team to establish the groups standard operating procedures. During the annual Bulgarianled Exercise Platinum Lion 22, the soldiers had the chance to test their ability to work together by executing a battalionsized joint operation. Infantry from the British Armys Royal Irish Regiment also participated.