Bulgarian Armed Forces: Land Forces (Army), Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air Forces (Voennovazdushni Sili, VVS), Joint Special Forces; Ministry of Interior: Border Guards (2021)
Romanian Armed Forces: Land Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force; Ministry of Internal Affairs: Romanian Gendarmerie (2021)
Military service age and obligation
18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription ended in 2007; service obligation 6-9 months (2019)
conscription ended 2006; 18 years of age for male and female voluntary service; all military inductees (including women) contract for an initial 5-year term of service, with subsequent successive 3-year terms until age 36 (2019)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
1.6% of GDP (2020 est.)
3.15% of GDP (2019)
1.45% of GDP (2018)
1.23% of GDP (2017)
1.25% of GDP (2016)
2.07% of GDP (2020 est.)
1.84% of GDP (2019)
1.81% of GDP (2018)
1.72% of GDP (2017)
1.41% of GDP (2016)
Military - note
Bulgaria officially became a member of NATO in 2004
Romania officially became a member of NATO in 2004
Military and security service personnel strengths
the Bulgarian Armed Forces have approximately 30,000 active duty personnel (16,000 Army; 4,000 Navy; 7,000 Air Force; 3,000 other, joint staff, support) (2021)
the Romanian Armed Forces have approximately 67,000 active duty personnel (50,000 Land Forces; 7,000 Naval Forces; 10,000 Air Force; note: 10-15,000 personnel are considered joint service) (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Bulgarian Armed Forces inventory consists primarily of Soviet-era equipment, although in recent years Bulgaria has procured limited amounts of more modern weapons systems from Western countries, including France, Italy, Norway, and the US (2020)
the inventory of the Romanian Armed Forces is comprised mostly of Soviet-era and older domestically-produced weapons systems; there is also a smaller mix of Western-origin equipment; Italy, Portugal (second-hand fighter aircraft), and the US are the leading suppliers of armaments to Romania since 2010 (2020)
