Bulgarian Air Force’s second F-16 arrives at Graf Ignatievo air base

The Bulgarian Air Force’s second F-16 Block 70 aircraft arrived in Bulgaria at the Graf Ignatievo air base near Plovdiv on June 8 at 3.26pm, the Defence Ministry said.

The fighter jet was welcomed by Defence Chief Admiral Emil Eftimov, Air Force commander Major General Nikolai Rusev, acting commander of the air base Colonel Metodi Orlov and the personnel of the air base.

The second F-16 Block 70 aircraft is a combat aircraft (single-seater), with tail number 313. The procedures for technical and flight acceptance of the equipment are pending, the ministry said.

“The process of accepting the new F-16 Block 70 platform into our Air Force and the Bulgarian military continues successfully,” Eftimov said.

“Welcome to our second new combat aircraft, which arrived at the Third Air Base today. We continue with the acceptance and mastering of the new aircraft. The goal remains unchanged – to receive all eight F-16s under the first contract this year. We are working hard to achieve initial operational capabilities in real terms,” he said.

In April, the first F-16 Block 70 aircraft, which is a combat training aircraft, arrived in Bulgaria.

By the end of 2025, in fulfillment of the 2019 contract, Bulgaria will receive a total of eight such aircraft, the Defence Ministry said.

The Bulgarian Air Force will have one F-16 Block 70 squadron by the end of 2027, when eight more aircraft will be delivered to the country under the second contract, the ministry said.

(Photo: Defence Ministry)