site.btaTwo US Planes to Participate in Air Policing of Bulgaria Air Space

Two US Planes to Participate in  Air Policing of Bulgaria Air Space

Sofia, August 24 (BTA) - Two US airplanes will participate in the air policing of the Bulgarian air space from September 9 to 16, Defence Minister Nikolai Nenchev told journalists emerging from the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

This will be a peace keeping mission and is undertaken on the initiative of the NATO partners. The air policing by US aircraft will be free of charge and will be performed jointly with Bulgarian planes, Minister Nenchev explained.

The Minister said further that in November Bulgaria will receive engines for MiG 29 fighters and will already have three operational fighters. It is still possible to sign an air policing agreement with Poland but additional talks will be needed.

The resignation of Gen. Roumen Radev will not affect the purchase of the new fighters. "I hope that the new contract will be signed within the year and the planes will be supplied already at the end of 2018," the Minister also said.