site.btaBy End of 2026, Bulgaria Will Have 12 Pilots Capable of Flying F-16 Block 70 Fighter Aircraft, Defence Minister Says

By the end of the year, Bulgaria will have 12 trained pilots capable of flying the new F-16 Block 70 fighter aircraft, caretaker Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov told journalists after the ceremonial blessing on the occasion of May 6.

At the end of the ritual, for the first time on the occasion of Bulgarian Armed Forces Day, three F-16 fighter aircraft flew in formation over Alexander Nevsky Square.

"Six certified pilots are flying - you saw some of them in the air," Zapryanov said. Another two will arrive by the end of this month and shortly afterwards, and a further four by the end of the year, he added. Zapryanov noted that under the contract, 32 pilots must be trained for the two groups of eight aircraft.

The Defence Minister assured that all eight F-16 fighter jets are flying. “We have over 100 flight hours. The use of kerosene has increased sharply - in addition to the older aircraft, the new aircraft are also actively flying. That is why the latest decision of the Council of Ministers is to purchase aviation fuel in this situation,” he said. “Yesterday we were at Graf Ignatievo Air Base, we saw the spirit and enthusiasm, which makes us happy,” Zapryanov said.

He added that the reason there was no military parade on Wednesday was the lack of a regular budget. He noted that he is leaving the next defence minister with a solid foundation, including positive steps in staffing the Armed Forces with personnel, the establishment of modernization foundations, ready contracts under the SAFE instrument for operational and loan agreements, as well as the task of increasing the defence budget as NATO has decided - up to 3.5% by 2035.

Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov noted that Wednesday’s aviation salute showcased equipment from different generations. Modernization projects are progressing well, he said.