site.btaDefence Minister Zapryanov: F-16 Block 70 Declared Fully Operational

The F-16 Block 70 combat aircraft has been declared fully operational and has completed both technical and flight acceptance procedures, with only documentation processes remaining, Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov said in a television interview on Sunday.

Zapryanov added that once the combat aircraft is accepted, it becomes Bulgarian property rather than property of the United States of America. He noted that all other aircraft to be delivered this year will follow the same procedure, after which further pilot training will continue.

Zapryanov said that the MiG-29 aircraft will remain in service until at least 2028. He pointed out that the arrival of the new aircraft does not mean immediate full operational readiness.

Zapryanov said that from the very beginning there have been political groups in Bulgaria who did not want to see a strategic partnership between Bulgaria and the United States. He added that signing an agreement is one thing, but the actual arrival of the aircraft and their integration into national defence capabilities is quite another. In his words, this marks a definite break from dependence on Russia and the building of a strategic partnership with America.

He said that there is no direct tension between himself and President Rumen Radev, but said that in many public statements, technical issues are raised which should actually be the responsibility of commanders, not the Defence Minister. He remarked that politicians should intervene only at the political level, while the armed forces should be allowed to perform their tasks, with resources and funding provided by the government.

Zapryanov added that after the recent pay increase in the military, three times more people have expressed interest in joining the Land Forces and five times more the Navy.

On May 15, 2025, Zapryanov confirmed in Parliament that the F-16 aircraft is fully operational, with technical checks ongoing and flight procedures to follow. The announcement came as the Parliamentary Committee for Control of the Security Services reviewed concerns about unauthorized access to classified information on the aircraft, though Zapryanov reassured that pilots and sensitive data remain secure. The delivery process continues against a backdrop of political disputes over Bulgaria’s procurement of US-made F-16 jets.