Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Bulgaria's MiG-29 jets will continue to fly even after the delivery of F-16s

Photo: BGNES

Minister of Defense Todor Tagarev has surprisingly announced that a procedure is underway for 6 more engines for the MiG-29 jets of the Bulgarian Army and that the Soviet aircraft would not only fly until the arrival of the F-16s, but will continue to operate after that. 

"During my mandate, we concluded a contract for the repair of 6 engines for the MiG 29 jets and two units for coordinating their work, which will allow several aircraft to be operational and maintained. We have done our best to make these aircraft flying until the delivery of the F-16 jets and even a little bit beyond that,” the minister told BNT. The first F-16s are expected to arrive in the spring of 2025.

Bulgaria has a dozen MiG-29s, of which usually no more than 6-7 are operational. Licensed repairs are done only in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, while engines can be provided by the same countries, as well as Poland and Slovakia.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Ex-PM Boyko Borisov: Delyan Peevski is unfairly sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act

GERB leader Boyko Borisov has told the media that he personally participated in talks with American representatives on the lifting of the Magnitsky sanctions against Bulgarian citizens. He said that he also spoke on the subject with David Cameron while..

published on 11/5/25 9:04 PM

Weather forecast: The clouds and rain continue, no rain in the Southwest

On Thursday minimum temperatures will range between 6 and 11° C., for Sofia around 8° C. During the day the weather will continue cloudy and rainy. The rain will be more significant in Eastern Bulgaria, and in the afternoon – in Central Bulgaria...

published on 11/5/25 6:35 PM
Deputy PM Tomislav Donchev

European Commission withholds payment under recovery and resilience plan over failure to implement anti-corruption reforms

The European Commission has decided to withhold EUR 215 million from the second payment under Bulgaria’s recovery and resilience plan, the EC told the Bulgarian National Radio. The country is to receive EUR 439 million. EU may cut money for..

published on 11/5/25 4:39 PM