site.btaBulgaria Receives Its First F-16 Block 70 Aircraft at Lockheed Martin's Production Facility in Greenville

Bulgaria has received its first F-16 Block 70 aircraft at Lockheed Martin's production facility in Greenville, USA, the government press service reported on its Facebook page on Friday.

Commenting on the news, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said this continues the upward development of Bulgaria’s strategic defence partnership with the United States.

With the acquisition of the F-16 Block 70, the Bulgarian Air Force will build new capabilities that will allow it to achieve full operational compatibility with NATO and EU allies, the statement reads.

The Bulgarian F-16 Block 70 aircraft was officially handed over to Bulgaria in the presence of the leadership of the manufacturer Lockheed Martin, members of the U.S. Congress and Senate, representatives from the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Air Force, as well as local authorities from the state of South Carolina, the statement further said.

Under the two contracts signed in 2019 and 2022, Bulgaria will receive a total of 16 fighter jets. The project is being implemented in two phases, each of which includes the acquisition of 8 F-16 Block 70 aircraft. The first two multi-role fighter jets are expected to arrive in Bulgaria in April 2025. The remaining 6 aircraft are expected to arrive by the end of 2025, with the final 8 ones expected by the end of 2027.

A total of 32 Bulgarian pilots will be trained in the United States under the two contracts. Training has already begun for the engineering and technical staff, with plans to train over 100 specialists according to the schedule for the arrival of the aircraft in Bulgaria.

Regarding the acceptance of the first F-16 Block 70 fighters in the USA, a delegation led by Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov is present. The delegation also includes Deputy Minister of Defence Adelina Nikolova, the Deputy Chief of Defence, Lieutenant General Krasimir Kanev, the Commander of the Bulgarian Air Force, Major General Dimitar Petrov, and the Director of Armaments Policy Directorate, Colonel Vladislav Shekerov.