site.btaFinal Decisions Yet to Be Made about Acquiring New Type of Fighter Aircraft, Defence Minister Says

Final Decisions Yet to Be Made about Acquiring New Type of Fighter Aircraft, Defence Minister Says

Sofia, October 7 (BTA) - Defence Minister Velizar Shalamanov
said on Tuesday that the final decisions are yet to be made
about the programme "Bulgaria in NATO and European Defence
2020," which has been approved by the government, and about the
future acquisition of a new type of fighter aircraft by the
Bulgarian Air Force.

Shalamanov noted that the government has given the Defence
Minister six months to propose mandates for the main projects
under the programme. "The national programme sets out a
framework and operating mechanisms, but it does not offer a
final solution to any specific matter, because such important
decisions should be made step by step, in a transparent manner
and with clear responsibility," he said.

"Given the limited resources available - and some people even
doubt that those limited resources are really available - it is
impossible to implement all projects, but we want our Armed
Forces to develop in a balanced way, which means that all large
projects should, I think, be subject to government-level
consultations between Bulgaria and the other member countries of
NATO and the EU in order to find the most beneficial solution,"
Shalamanov said. According to him, the projects cannot be
implemented on a purely market basis, but if the other member
countries show solidarity, it is possible to find a very good
solution and this should be done quickly and responsibly.

Asked whether 8 to 10 new fighters can successfully replace 35
Russian MiGs, the Minister said that over the last 20-plus years
there have been no more than 4 or 5 fighters in use in the
country at any given point. "Therefore, if we can acquire 8 to
10 multirole fighters, Bulgaria will be in a position which is
four or five times better than now," he said. He noted that
there are many fighters in the 28 NATO countries, but Bulgaria
needs to have fighters of its own in order to contribute to its
own security.

Reacting to Air Force pilots' fears that they may lose their
job, Shalamanov said there will always be people who are
dissatisfied, but the important thing is that now Bulgaria has a
national re-armament programme for the first time in its
history. He called for prompt actions to implement the
programme, because the question about the fighters has remained
open ever since 2000, when Shalamanov was Deputy Defence
Minister. Now, there is a clear deadline of six months, reckoned
from last week, he added.