The mid 1980s, and especially 1983-1985 were the "height" of the Bulgarian submarine force with four fully operational submarines. Two of them were retired immediately after the fall of the communist regime in 1989 because of lack of funds. In 2007, the general staff of the Bulgarian Navy promised that its modernization strategy will provide for purchasing two new submarines, the first of which was supposed to arrive in Varna in 2012. However, these plans have seen little development and Bulgaria is without submarines.
In 1954, the Soviet Union gave Bulgaria two Whiskey Class submarines, and in 1958, two more, a pair of Romeo Class Subs. The Slava submarine was one of the two presented in 1958 and was the last in service. Even though it is deemed operational, it was in deplorable condition and could only go under water for short intervals of time near the end of its’ life. The only other Bulgarian submarine that was in operation in the years prior to the end was the Nadezhda (i.e. "Hope"); it was practically been retired for ten years because it lacked a battery. At the beginning of 2009, the Bulgarian Navy considered turning it into a museum.
