site.btaPresident Radev Confers with Former US Military Attache, US Air Force Pilot

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev conferred with former US military attache Col. David Wilmot and US Air Force pilot Col. Jose Monteagudo, Radev said on Facebook on Wednesday.

In Radev's words, the national sovereignty’s defence is unthinkable without a prepared Air Force. The President added that while he was commander of the Graf Ignatievo Air Base, he and his colleagues had started a transformation of the air force training model. "In that difficult process, I relied on the support, exceptional professionalism and friendship of Colonel Wilmot and Colonel Jose Monteagudo of the United States Air Force, with whom I had the opportunity to organize and lead intensive flight exercises," Radev said.

"Today, 15 years later, it is a pleasure to be together again. The foundation and advanced standards of aircrew training we laid then are now established practice," Radev’s statement further reads.

"I hope that the Bulgarian government realizes the importance and role of the modern Air Force. Only in this way can the necessary conditions really be provided for the personnel to have modern equipment and to conduct training adequate to modern requirements, Rumen Radev also said.