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The Ministry of Defense has launched a public procurement procedure for the maintenance of Bulgaria’s Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets, allocating a total of EUR 58 million for a comprehensive overhaul. The tender has been published on the ministry’s official website and includes several stages of repair and servicing.
Of this amount, EUR 17.5 million is specifically earmarked for the overhaul of MiG-29 aircraft engines. The contract covers a total of 10 engines, putting the estimated cost at around EUR 1.8 million per engine, excluding VAT. The selected contractor will have up to nine months to complete the work.
According to the technical requirements, the refurbished engines must be returned to service with a renewed operational resource of at least 100 flight hours, valid for a minimum period of one year.
The most recent overhaul of MiG-29 engines was carried out in 2023 by the Polish company WZL. At the time, Bulgarian authorities warned that delays in maintenance could leave the country unable to adequately safeguard its airspace. Following the start of the war in Ukraine, Russia suspended the supply of spare parts to countries it classified as hostile for supporting Kyiv, further complicating maintenance of Soviet-made aircraft.
Bulgaria currently operates a fleet of 15 MiG-29 fighters, alongside eight F-16 aircraft. The F-16s are not expected to take on full combat duty until 2028, leaving the MiG-29s as a key element of the country’s air defense capabilities in the interim.
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