With the presence of Bulgarian and U.S. authorities, the Bulgarian Air Force received the first of its Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 fighter-bombers yesterday. The aircraft, in this case a two-seater F-16 with registration number 301, arrived at the Third Air Base in Graf Ignatievo past midday Bulgarian time.

The reception of this first F-16 Block 70 by Bulgaria and its Air Force “…marks a new era in its development. Our combat aviation has a future, as it now has a new type of aircraft that will be in service for the next 30-40 years…,” stated Bulgaria’s Minister of Defense, Atanas Zapryanov.

According to information from the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense, this first two-seater F-16 Block 70 of the Bulgarian Air Force left Lockheed Martin’s facilities on March 31. “…The transfer to Bulgaria was carried out in two stages: a flight from Greenville, South Carolina, over the Atlantic Ocean to Spain, in a group with two aircraft from the Slovak Air Force, and a flight from Spain to Bulgaria. The aircraft was refueled in the air by a KC-135 tanker from the Tennessee National Guard…”.

A detail mentioned by the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense in its statement was that the F-16 Block 70 with registration number 301 flew to Bulgaria bearing the insignia of the U.S. Air Force, “…in accordance with international aviation law… After landing at the Third Air Base, they were replaced with the distinctive insignia of the Bulgarian Air Force, initiating standard customs and tax procedures…”.

Modernization of the Bulgarian Armed Forces

The arrival of this first F-16 Block 70 fighter-bomber is part of the modernization process of the Bulgarian Air Force and Armed Forces. The first phase of this program includes the acquisition of eight fighter-bombers, two of which are already operated by Bulgarian personnel: the F-16 that recently arrived at the Third Air Base in Graf Ignatievo and the F-16 with registration number 311, which will continue to be used for training Bulgarian technical and engineering personnel in the U.S. “…This aircraft and the six remaining F-16 Block 70s that Lockheed Martin is producing for the Bulgarian Air Force under the first contract will be transferred to our country in stages by the end of 2025…”.

In a second phase, Bulgaria will acquire another eight F-16 Block 70 fighter-bombers. The Bulgarian Air Force is expected to complete its squadron by the end of 2027.

In addition to modernizing its combat aviation and helicopter fleet, with the contract for a new anti-aircraft missile system, the Air Force will also have a modern missile defense system. Following the conclusion of the contract for the acquisition of three-dimensional digital radars, the Air Force will have completed its renewal process.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Defense, Admiral Emil Eftimov, once again emphasized that 2025 will mark the beginning of the implementation of three major modernization projects for the Bulgarian Army. “…With their implementation, our army will reach a new qualitative level…”. One of these projects includes the acquisition of CAESAR artillery combat vehicles.

Cover image: Bulgarian Ministry of Defense

You may also like: The U.S. authorizes the sale of new FGM-148F Javelin missiles to the Bulgarian Armed Forces