Caretaker defence minister: Bulgaria must have full squadron of F-16 fighters

Bulgaria must have another eight F-16 fighter jets, so it can have a full squadron, said here on Friday caretaker Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov, after Parliament decided to approve the draft investment expenditure for the acquisition of a new type of combat aircraft – stage 2.

According to Stoyanov, the first batch of eight F-16 fighter jets will arrive in 2025 and are insufficient for air policing.

According to the motives in the resolution, tabled by Cabinet, the goals are to completely equip and arm an aviation squadron of 16 multipurpose F-16 Block 70 fighters and complete the process of building full capabilities for servicing and utilizing the aviation equipment, armament and ground systems, acquired as part of the first and second stage of the project for acquiring a new type of combat aircraft.

The first contract does not include a full set of armament for all eight fighters, there’s no air-to-ground armament, no high-precision weapons. That’s why there’s a second contract, which provides for the supply of additional spare engines and other equipment, he said.

If the second batch of eight F-16 fighters arrive in 2027, the F-16 squadron will not acquire full combat and operational capabilities until the end of 2029-2030, he said. The Minister noted that Bulgaria needs a “transit platform” with which to protect its airspace, because the MiG-29’s life cycle will not last until 2029.