Bulgaria officially received its first eight F-16 Block 70 fighter jets, which were presented today at the Third Air Base near Plovdiv. The ceremony was attended by retired Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov, Chief of Defense Admiral Emil Eftimov, Deputy Prime Ministers Tomislav Donchev and Grozdan Karadjov, Interior Minister Daniel Mitov, Air Force Commander Major General Nikolay Rusev, and Martin McDowell, Acting U.S. Ambassador to Sofia. Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev was also present.

“All eight F-16 Block 70 jets under Bulgaria’s initial contract with the United States have arrived at Third Air Base. Since the contract’s signing in 2019, 300 million leva (around €153 million) have been allocated for infrastructure upgrades,” Zapryanov said. He explained that 49 separate infrastructure projects have been carried out to ensure proper operation and storage of the aircraft. More than half of these projects are already completed, while critical ones, certified by U.S. experts and essential for aircraft and trainer acceptance, have been finalized, allowing timely delivery.

The jets were manufactured in Greenville, South Carolina, and cleared the final DD250 inspection under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program. Bulgaria paid nearly 2.2 billion leva (approximately €1.12 billion) for the eight aircraft. During the ceremony, six fighters were displayed near the runway, while two remained in the hangar. All jets carry the insignia and tail numbers of the Bulgarian Air Force.

Zapryanov highlighted that the deliveries reflect the deepening strategic partnership between Bulgaria and the United States. He added that further cooperation includes the expected delivery of Stryker combat vehicles early next year and ongoing talks for a coastal defense system to secure Bulgarian maritime spaces.

Chief of Defense Admiral Emil Eftimov described the arrival of the jets as a transformative step for Bulgaria’s armed forces. “This year marks a radical change in the development of our military capabilities. Adopting modern, versatile aircraft adds significant value to our defense,” he said.

The final two jets arrived on December 16 after a stopover in the Azores, completing the initial batch of eight. This marks the start of a new phase in strengthening the Bulgarian Air Force and the country’s overall defense capabilities.