site.btaDefence Ministry: F-16 Block 70 Fighter Will Be Put into Service with Air Force after Completion of Technical and Flight Acceptance Procedures

All financial resources for the acquisition of the F-16 Block 70 aircraft have been secured. Funding has also been provided for the preparation of infrastructure at the Graf Ignatievo Air Base, and construction is currently underway. The funds needed to guarantee and support the aircraft throughout their life cycle were also taken into account when the contract was signed, the Bulgarian Defence Ministry said in a press release on Wednesday. 

“We are aware of the need for resources and spare parts, which are being negotiated with the U.S. government to ensure the full life cycle support of the aircraft," Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov told journalists, addressing the ongoing debate at both political and military-technical levels regarding the induction of the F-16 Block 70 aircraft into service and the provision of life cycle support.

Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov and Air Force Commander Major General Nikolay Rusev also took part in the briefing at the Ministry of Defence, according to the Ministry’s press center.

"The F-16 Block 70 is the aircraft needed by the Bulgarian Air Force. As part of the modernization and transformation of the Bulgarian Armed Forces, the F-16 Block 70 is a key element with its capabilities for surveillance, reconnaissance, target designation, air combat, and strikes on ground and naval targets. The aircraft employs a wide range of cutting-edge sensors and weaponry, characteristic of fifth-generation fighters," stated Admiral Emil Eftimov.

He emphasized that mastering and reaching full operational capability with this high-tech platform is a challenge not only for the Air Force but for the entire military. "From an operational standpoint, this is the appropriate choice for integrating our Air Force into NATO’s common air and missile defense system. The process of technical and flight acceptance of the aircraft, its induction into service, and entry into operation is currently underway," Admiral Eftimov noted.

"The acceptance procedure for the F-16 Block 70 is ongoing," stated Air Force Commander Major General Nikolay Rusev. He reported that work is being carried out jointly with a team from Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Air Force, who are assisting in mastering the aircraft to prepare it for acceptance. "I want to be clear that I will not accept any additional risk to the pilots, the engineering-technical personnel, or the new aviation equipment. The aircraft will fly when we are fully ready to operate it. This takes time," he firmly stated. According to him, the process for accepting the next aircraft—which will arrive in Bulgaria very soon—will be significantly streamlined, as the full procedure will already have been established, making it much easier.

"While we are integrating the F-16, I also want to make it clear that we will continue to carry out combat duty with the MiG-29. The MiG-29 will keep flying as long as we are mastering the F-16. I will do everything in my power to fulfill my tasks to ensure air sovereignty and bring the F-16 to operational readiness as soon as possible," declared the Air Force Commander.