Bulgaria complains that the infrastructure is not ready to receive the first F-16s

Bulgaria, which is waiting to receive the first eight F-16 fighters from the US next year, has neither the infrastructure nor the pilots, ready even for their use.

This was stated on Thursday by Atanas Zapryanov, Acting Minister of Defense of Bulgaria, reports “Evropeyska Pravda” with reference to Euractiv.

“Next year, Bulgaria will receive eight F-16s. The first two will arrive at the end of March – early April 2025. The next ones – in the second quarter, the end of the third quarter, and all eight aircraft will be in Bulgaria,” – explained Atanas Zapryanov.

In total, Bulgaria is to receive 16 F-16 Block 70 fighters.

The supply of fighters is crucial for the security of NATO's eastern flank.

Although it is difficult for the Bulgarian Air Force to carry out air patrol missions in the Bulgarian airspace due to the obsolescence of the Soviet MiG-29 fighters, the infrastructure at the Graf Ignatievo Air Base, where the F-16 fighters are supposed to be located, is not yet ready.

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“We we will receive them, but they cannot stay on the ground. If the pilots do not fly for a certain period, we will be forced to retrain them. This is a big challenge.” – explained the minister.

“All the pilots that were planned were sent for training (to the US). Some could not cope and returned. Their training is ongoing. We have already trained one pilot and an instructor. I hope we will have enough pilots when the first eight aircraft arrive,” he added.

The F-16 purchase contracts provide for the training of 32 pilots, but so far there is little official information about how this process is progressing. According to official information, only 10 pilots have been sent for training.

Delivery of the fighters was supposed to begin in 2023, but Lockheed Martin announced a two-year delay due to problems with the production line related to the pandemic. After the delivery of the new fighters, the Bulgarian Air Force will need at least two years to fully master the use of the new fighters.

On October 1, it became known that Bulgaria is starting a long-awaited test of the combat readiness and training of its air force, which has suffered several fatalities during combat exercises and demonstration flights in recent years.