German shipbuilder Naval Vessels Lürssen (NVL) has begun sea trials for the Bulgarian Navy’s first multipurpose modular patrol vessel (MMPV).
The ship, named Hrabri—meaning Brave—is being tested in Varna Bay and selected areas of the Black Sea to assess its performance and systems integration ahead of its planned commissioning by late 2025.
Construction of the Hrabri began with a steel-cutting ceremony in December 2021, followed by keel laying in June 2022, carried out in partnership with local shipbuilder MTG Dolphin in Varna.
The vessel was launched in August 2023, transitioning from assembly to the outfitting phase. Since then, work on installing weapons, sensors, and onboard systems has continued, according to Bulgaria’s Ministry of Defence.
The second and final ship in the class, Smeli (Courageous), remains under construction and will join Hrabri in defending Bulgarian waters from air, land, surface, and subsurface threats, as well as supporting NATO and EU missions.
Bulgarian MMPVs
Both Hrabri and Smeli are based on NVL’s MMPV 90 design, measuring 90 meters (295 feet) long with a 14-meter (46-foot) beam.
The vessels can accommodate up to 70 crew members and are designed to carry a 76-millimeter gun, a 35-millimeter CIWS, anti-ship and anti-air missiles, and torpedoes.
They provide hangar and deck space for a maritime helicopter or large unmanned aerial system, plus two rigid-hull inflatable boats.
Powered by two diesel engines producing about 8,900 horsepower each, the ships can travel over 3,000 nautical miles (5,556 kilometers/3,452 miles) and exceed speeds of 20 knots (37 kilometers/23 miles per hour).
