site.btaUS Air Force F-35A 5th Generation Fighter Makes First Ever Bulgarian Landing

US Air Force F-35A 5th Generation Fighter Makes First Ever Bulgarian Landing

Graf Ignatievo, April 28 (BTA) - As part of exercise Thracian Eagle 2017, US Air Force crews and aircraft demonstrated their capabilities at Graf Ignatievo Air Base in the presence of President Rumen Radev, Defence Minister Stefan Yanev and the Chief of Defence, Lt. Gen. Andrei Botsev.

Two F-35A fifth-generation fighters landed in Bulgaria for the first time.

Bulgaria's Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Tsanko Stoikov recalled that these exercises started in 2002 and have been held at least once a year since then.

Maj. Gen. Richard Clark, 3rd Air Force Commander, US Air Forces in Europe, Rammstein Air Base, Germany, said that what was happening would make the Alliance stronger.

The US Air Force is participating in the exercise with F-15C Eagles of the 122nd Fighter Squadron of the 159th Fighter Wing, Louisiana Air National Guard. The Bulgarian participants are MiG-29 from Graf Ignatievo Air Base, Su-25 from the Forward Deployment Air Base at Bezmer, L-39 from the Air Training Group at Dolna Mitropoliya Air Base, AS-532 AL, Mi-24 and Mi-17 helicopters from Krumovo Air Base, and air defence units. Joint flights are scheduled to take place until June.

The joint flight training is aimed to achieve better interoperability in NATO-led operations, to improve the personnel's flight and tactical training, and to streamline logistical procedures for visiting units.