Bulgaria’s Armed Force Day 2026: Photos
Bulgaria observed the annual St George’s Day and Armed Forces Day on May 6, with a ritual blessing of the battle flags and a flypast of military aircraft, though no parade – for budgetary reasons.
The 2026 event was the first in which some of the Bulgarian Air Force’s recently-acquired US-made F-16 fighter jets were involved, along with older Soviet-era aircraft.
Caretaker Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov said that Bulgarian F-16 Block70 pilots now have more than 100 flight hours.
“The use of jet fuel has increased sharply, in addition to old aircraft, new aircraft are also actively flying. Therefore, the latest decision of the Cabinet is to allocate 30 million euro for the purchase of aviation fuel in this situation,” Zapryanov said.
There are six certified F-16 pilots, and by the end of the year there will be 12 trained pilots. The rest are being prepared, as 32 pilots must be trained under the contract.
Bulgarian Defence Chief Admiral Emil Eftimov said that the war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East, which are close to Bulgaria, once again emphasise the categorical need for capable armed forces.
Armed Forces Day 2026 was, for Bulgaria, the first time that a woman – head of state President Iliyana Yotova – participated as the country’s Commander-in-Chief.
All photos: Ministry of Defence
