The United States has begun supplying Bulgaria with F-16 fighter jets

The first F-16 Block 70 multirole fighter has arrived in Bulgaria from the United States, the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) reports.
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The contract for the purchase by the Bulgarian authorities in the United States of eight F-16 Block 70 fighter jets worth $ 1.26 billion entered into force in July 2019.

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The fighter landed at the Graf-Ignatievo airbase in the Plovdiv region in southern Bulgaria. Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov and other officials gathered at the airbase to meet the plane.

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As noted, the arrival of the plane by itself does not immediately make it Bulgarian. It is necessary to complete its documentary transmission. The official ceremony is scheduled for April 12.

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The two-year delay in delivery was criticized by the opposition, who claimed that the purchased fighters were only “on paper.”

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According to the delivery schedule, Bulgaria was supposed to receive the first fighter by mid-2023, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, these dates were postponed to 2025. Sofia later signed a contract for the purchase of eight more F-16s.