site.btaUS Congress Approves Financial Framework for Bulgaria's Acquisition of 8 F-16C Block 70 Fighter Jets

June 4 (BTA) - The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency
 published a statement saying that the US Congress has approved
Bulgaria's acquisition of a complete package of eight F-16C
Block-70 multi-fighter jets worth 1.6 billion dollars, the
Bulgarian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

The package includes eight fully equipped jets, all additional
airplane systems as well as future upgrades and newly introduced
 weapon systems.

The US government will provide the Bulgarian side with a draft
contract (LOA) within a two week period, which is expected to
specify a price within 1.2 billion dollars. After that the
negotiation process will continue.

The Defense Ministry noted that the US Congress made the
decision to export this high-tech platform and its systems to
Bulgaria in a very short time.

Initially, the Bulgarian Parliament had authorized a maximum
price of 1.8 billion leva for the purchase of the jets but
subsequently the MPs decided to be more flexible. RY/DT