Using diplomatic channels, Bulgaria has asked defense industry companies from the USA, France, Germany, and Sweden for detailed information on their offers of new and second-hand fighter jets.

In a special statement, Bulgaria's Defense Ministry has announced the surveying of the prospective suppliers, while point out that the information request is exploratory, and that it does not mean yet the start of a tender for the purchase of multi-purpose fighter jets for the Bulgarian Air Force.

The Ministry explained that the requests for information were submitted in January 2011 after in November it formed a National Steering Committee and an Integrated Project Team, which drafted preliminary operational, technical, and tactical requirements for the new jets to be purchased by Bulgaria.