site.btaBenkovski Air Force Academy Acquires Unique VR System to Study F-16 Block 70 Aircraft

The first-of-its-kind virtual reality system, allowing real-scale study of the F-16 Block 70 aircraft and its systems, was delivered to the Benkovski Air Force Academy in Dolna Mitropoliya, the Ministry of Defence announced Wednesday. The acquisition is in implementation of a project for the establishment of a centre for training of flight and engineering personnel for the F-16 Block 70 aircraft from the industrial cooperation programme with manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

With this system, the air school becomes one of the pioneers in the use of virtual reality for training aviation specialists and the only one currently in Europe with training capabilities for the F-16 Block 70 aircraft, the release said. 

The industrial cooperation programme was signed in 2019 and ratified by the National Assembly along with the F-16 Block 70 acquisition contracts. 

Under the project, Lockheed Martin will be providing technical assistance and funding for the establishment of a national aviation specialist training centre. The beneficiary is the Benkovski Air Force Academy. So far, teaching staff have been trained and certified, and a virtual simulator for the F-16 Block 70 aircraft has been delivered. The project is expected to be completed with the delivery of two new Cessna 172 Skyhawk initial flight training aircraft in early 2026, the ministry added.

By the end of the year, the training for the second Bulgarian pilot to master the new F-16 weapons platform will be completed. The training of all pilots of the first and second eight aircraft will be carried out in the US, caretaker Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov said in July.