site.bta Defence Minister: Repairs of Bulgaria's MiG Aircraft Cost as Much as 16 New Fighter Aircraft

Defence Minister: Repairs of  Bulgaria's MiG Aircraft Cost  as Much as 16 New Fighter Aircraft

Sofia, March 6 (BTA) - The repairs of Bulgaria's MiG aircraft
are very expensive, their maintenance until 2029 will cost 1.6
billion leva, Defence Minister Nikolay Nenchev said during
Question Time in Parliament Friday. Taking a question by Peter
Slavov MP of the Reformist Bloc on the state of the MiG-29 and
the need of a new type of fighter aircraft, Nenchev quoted
expert evaluations showing that for the same sum needed for the
MiG's repairs, Bulgaria could buy a whole squadron of 16 fighter
 aircraft which have been used a little or are even new, meet
the NATO requirements and cost less to repair.

According to Nenchev, the best solution is to observe the
Bulgaria in NATO and in European Defence 2020 Programme and, in
particular, its part related to rearmament and the replacement
of the MiG-29 with new fighter aircraft meeting the NATO
standards, as well as the delivery of  the highly necessary
contemporary 3D radars.
   
The Defence Ministry has elaborated an investment project for
the acquisition of a squadron of new fighter aircraft which,
along with eight other projects, including the one for the 3D
radars, will be tabled for discussion in the Council of
Ministers. If approved, the projects will be included in the
programme for the development of the Armed Forces' defence
capabilities until 2020, Nenchev explained.

In any case, there will be a transition period during which the
maintenance of the MiG-29 will continue, he said. The Defence
Minister confirmed that the Air Forces are experiencing a
serious problem with the available aircraft's operational
suitability and with the air policing within the NATO Integrated
 Air and Missile Defence. Under certain circumstances, Bulgaria
may very soon be left with only two aircraft capable of carrying
 out this air policing, he said.

There are also problems with the pilots' training, and the lack
of financial resources causes difficulties with the supply of
spare parts and the repair of the radiolocation equipment,
Nenchev noted.

Taking another question in Parliament, he said that the Military
 Information Service needs to be seriously reformed and that he
has already taken steps in this direction. Nenchev added that
there are exceptionally well prepared young people who could
assume responsibilities for the service's future.