The American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria with the support of the US Commercial Service in Sofia and US Chamber of Commerce in Washington DC cordially invite you to a

DEFENSE FORUM

The Strategic Significance for European and Global Stability of the South-Eastern Flank of NATO and the Black Sea

to take place on October 14^th, 2026, starting 4:00 pm, at the National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20045

PROGRAM

4:00 – 4:30 pm Welcome Coffee

4:30 – 5:00 Opening Session:

Ivan Mihaylov, CEO, American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria

Key-note Address: Alexander Poulev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Investment and Industry of the Republic of Bulgaria

5:00 – 6:00 Discussion Panel

John Neal, Executive Director, Space Policy, Cyber, Space and National Security Division, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Paul Pardew, Senior Vice President for Acquisition, Bid & Proposal at Ignium

Maj. Gen (Ret) Pardew has 32 years of military experience providing leadership to organizations with a diverse portfolio of operations and procurements.  In his last assignment, he led the Army’s largest procurement organization of 6,000 acquisition professionals and an annual budget of $483M.   Under his leadership the organizations mission was to obligate and manage more than $500B in Army procurements across a portfolio of global operations, weapons systems, modernization, and installation support.  He successfully led an evolution in contracting support that focused on delivering efficiencies, and desired outputs.  This drove effectiveness in the use of financial resources, procurements, and human resources.  Directly returning more than $9.1B to our Army in FY 20.   

He is currently the Senior Vice President for Contracts with Ignium.

United States Department of Commerce, invited

The Atlantic Council, invited

Topics:

• U.S./Eastern Europe Defense and Security Strategic Cooperation. Regional Outlook.
• The Bulgarian Defense Industry’s Critical Role in Regional and Global Security – a NATO and US Ally Perspective
• The Defense Industry within the Priorities of the EU and NATO.

6:00 – 7:30 pm Networking Reception 

The Forum is part of the program of a delegation of leading Bulgarian ammunition manufacturers, defense producers and technology companies to Washington D.C.

Why attend:

• Bulgaria has the largest artillery ordinance production capacity

Bulgaria is the largest supplier with existing and growing production capacity that can meet the ongoing demand to support the war efforts of allies supported by the US

• Vetted NATO Offset / Industrial Cooperation  

The visiting companies will be the right fit for supply chain departments’ selection of local content withing their industrial cooperation contractual, supply and aftermarket maintenance responsibilities

• Access to the Bulgarian Military Arms Modernization

The visiting companies are a conduit to serve American defense contractors to participate in ongoing arms modernization of the Bulgarian military with their tender access, as local contract bidders and local content vendors for industrial cooperation and as system integrators.

• Supply Chain Capacity to US Defense Contractors

The visiting companies can boost and complement the supply chain of US prime contractors and their first and second tier vendors with available, NATO approved, IP conscious and non-Chinese tooling, machining, casting, parts and components delivery and software development

• FDI / Investments in the US

Some of the visiting companies are eyeing the US for locations to set up their footprint with assembly and manufacturing under the Buy American Act and Made in USA standards