site.btaPrime Minister Thanks United States for Helping to Upgrade Bulgarian Armed Forces

Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov on Sunday expressed appreciation of Bulgaria’s partnership with the United States in upgrading the Bulgarian Armed Forces, including the Air Force, which he said is a matter of priority for his government, the Council of Ministers press service reported.

Zhelyazkov was speaking to David Baker, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy, ahead of the official acceptance ceremony for the first F-16 Block 70 fighter jet for the Bulgarian Air Force, which was held at the Graf Ignatievo Air Base later in the day.

The two discussed their countries’ strategic partnership, more specifically their cooperation in defence and security. They concurred that investing in defence is investing in the future.

Zhelyazkov said that by acquiring F-16 Block 70 fighter aircraft, Bulgaria is expanding its capacity to modernize its Armed Forces and enhance their interoperability with the allies. He recalled that during the first presidential term of Donald Trump, the government of the then prime minister Boyko Borissov signed agreements for the purchase of an initial batch of eight F-16 Block 70 fighters. Under the working plans of the US Air Force and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, the delivery of the eight planes to Bulgaria is to be completed by the end of 2025. Another eight of them are expected to arrive by the end of 2027.

Baker said the administration of President Donald Trum appreciates Bulgaria’s efforts to upgrade its Armed Forces, as exemplified by the delivery of the first plane of the future Bulgarian F-16 Block 70 squadron. According to the US guest, these fighter jets are bringing new capabilities into the Bulgarian Armed Forces and are essential for interoperability with NATO. The implementation of the project is also an expression of the US’ friendship with Bulgaria, he added.

Baker was present at Sunday’s F-16 acceptance ceremony. On Saturday, he met with President Rumen Radev, and later, accompanied by Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov and Chief of Defence Adm. Emil Eftimov, visited the NATO Multinational Battlegroup in Bulgaria near the Novo Selo Training Area, in the southeast of the country.