Will Greece again have mercy on Bulgaria to protect with Patriot?

The noise surrounding the American tanker planes that use the Bezmer airbase for logistical support of the US operations against Iran has displaced the far more important question. Not whether the planes are landing in Bulgaria, but whether Bulgaria is protected if the conflict escalates. After Iran officially issued warnings to the countries that support American operations, the topic is no longer abstract. Bulgaria is not participating in a NATO operation, but is providing logistical support only to the United States.

This is a significant difference.

In the event of a possible escalation, no one can guarantee that the countries providing logistical infrastructure will not be on the list of potential targets. This is exactly where the big problem comes in. Bulgarian air defense continues to rely mainly on outdated Soviet systems, whose capabilities are limited both technologically and in terms of maintenance. The country still does not have a modern multi-layered anti-missile shield capable of responding to modern ballistic and cruise missiles.

It is no coincidence that during the previous increased US military presence in the Iran region, Greece deployed a Patriot battery near Bulgarian territory. This was not a gesture of goodwill, but an admission that the Bulgarian system needed additional protection. The reason was the launch of missiles from Iran towards Cyprus, because the country provides logistical support. Subsequently, the Greek complexes were withdrawn.

Italy and Spain did not accept American aircraft on their territory.

Today the issue is the same, but the situation is far more tense. If American planes are once again performing logistical tasks from Bulgarian territory, will Athens once again deploy a Patriot battery near us? Or will Bulgaria continue to rely solely on its own outdated systems?

This is a question to which the government owes a clear answer. Because citizens have the right to know whether the country's airspace is protected in the event of a possible escalation. There is another aspect. Bulgaria has been postponing the modernization of its air defense for years. Investments are mainly directed towards the new F-16 fighters, but they alone cannot replace a modern missile defense system.

The planes perform different tasks. Defense against sudden missile strikes requires top-class ground-based complexes. In this situation, our dependence on allies such as Greece and Turkey becomes obvious. If there is a real threat, it is their modern Patriot systems that will be the first line of defense in the region. Therefore, the real question is not how many American planes land in Bezmer. The real question is whether Bulgaria has a reliable anti-missile umbrella or will it once again wait for its neighbors to take pity and protect it. In a world where security changes in an hour, such a dependency is more than worrying.