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Bulgaria to receive two F-16 Block 70 aircraft “very soon”, says Bulgarian Air Force commander

published on 10/16/25 3:00 PM

Photo: mod.bg

Two more F-16 Block 70 aircraft are expected to arrive in Bulgaria very soon. This was announced by the commander of the Air Force, Major General Nikolay Rusev, in front of journalists.

So far, Bulgaria has received four F-16 Block 70 aircraft – two two-seater and two single-seater, and by the end of the year, four more should arrive according to the contract signed in 2019, BTA recalls.

“The first two aircraft are not flying, there are objective reasons and the problem is not on the Bulgarian side. I hope that within a week or two the first one will be repaired and very soon after that the second one – we will receive everything necessary from the American side to make the aircraft ready for flight,” said Major General Nikolay Rusev.

Major General Nikolay Rusev

The military commander recalled that 32 pilots need to be trained. “At the beginning of 2026, seven more pilots will leave, who are the youngest – they graduated from the Higher Air Force School this year,” he added.

According to Major General Nikolay Rusev, the F-16 fighters will join the guarding of Bulgaria's airspace when the pilots are ready and Bulgarian receives everything under the 2019 contract.

Edited by Diana Tsankova
English: R. Petkova

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Radio Bulgaria News F-16 aircraft F-16 Block 70 aircraft

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