Two new Bulgarian F-16 Block 70 aircraft arrived in Bulgaria today, October 3. The aircraft landed at the Third Air Base in Graf Ignatievo and were welcomed by the Chief of Defense Admiral Emil Eftimov, the Commander of the Air Force (Air Force) Major General Nikolay Rusev, the Acting Commander of the Third Air Base Colonel Metodi Orlov, representatives of the US mission in Bulgaria and the personnel of the air base.
„We welcome two more F-16 aircraft, congratulations to Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Army, the Air Force, the Third Air Base and all those who have dedicated themselves to this profession - defender of the homeland. I hope that by the end of the year this activity will be routine for the Air Force. The goal is to have eight F-16 Block 70 aircraft by the end of 2025,“ said the Chief of Defense Admiral Emil Eftimov upon welcoming the two new F-16 Block 70 aircraft.
He expressed gratitude to the Air Force Command and the Third Air Base for the care, diligence and responsibility with which they treat the process of accepting and mastering the new type of combat aircraft of the Bulgarian Army. “The aircraft is being mastered, several flights have been made on the first two aircraft, our technicians are working together with their American colleagues from the US Air Force and with representatives of the manufacturing company. I am convinced that the process will go more smoothly in the future, every beginning is difficult“, stressed Admiral Eftimov.
“I want to congratulate the commander, Major General Nikolay Rusev, because the largest modernization is being carried out in the Air Force – new aircraft are arriving, we have a contract for an anti-aircraft missile complex and we are working on even more complexes under the SAFE mechanism, we are in the final stages of concluding a contract for three-coordinate radars. I wish such a full-scale modernization would also take place in the other armed forces. The road is forward and the modernization of the Air Force continues at an irrevocable pace“, the Chief of Defense was categorical.
Of the aircraft that arrived today, one is a combat (single-seater) and one is a combat training (two-seater). As with previous flights, the aircraft are flown by US pilots and arrive in our country with US Air Force registration marks. The procedures for technical and flight acceptance of the equipment by the personnel of the Third Air Base are pending.
So far, our country has received four new F-16 Block 70 aircraft, and by the end of 2025, in accordance with the International BU-D-SAB Agreement, we should receive a total of eight. After the implementation of the second agreement, the Bulgarian Air Force will have one squadron of 16 aircraft. In addition to the aircraft, deliveries of spare parts and consumables under the agreement continue.