Only One F-16 Ready? Bulgaria’s Air Force Faces Major Delays and Pilot Shortages

Bulgaria has received four F-16 Block 70 fighter jets so far, but only one has completed the official acceptance process, and only two of the six trained Bulgarian pilots are ready to operate the aircraft, according to Air Force Commander Major General Nikolay Rusev. He explained in an interview with BTA that the inclusion of the F-16s in Bulgaria’s airspace defense will depend on both receiving all items under the 2019 contract and ensuring pilot readiness.

The current fleet includes two single-seater and two two-seater aircraft. General Rusev expects two more F-16s to be delivered soon, aiming to reach a total of eight jets by the end of the year, which would fulfill the first contract. Under a second agreement, the Air Force will ultimately operate a full squadron of 16 aircraft. Deliveries of spare parts and other necessary equipment are ongoing.

While six Bulgarian pilots have undergone training, only two are prepared to fly the current version of the F-16 Block 70. The others trained in the U.S. on older F-16 models and require several flights on the Block 70 in Bulgaria to gain combat readiness.

Acceptance of the newest aircraft involves both technical and flight checks, with at least one test flight per aircraft. The last two jets that arrived are still undergoing this acceptance process, which General Rusev noted is relatively lengthy.

The first F-16 Block 70 arrived in Bulgaria on April 2, followed by a second on June 8. At the end of September, Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov reported that a fuel leak had been detected in one of the two-seater F-16D Block 70s. Lockheed Martin representatives are expected to carry out the necessary repairs.

General Rusev emphasized that until all aircraft are accepted and pilots are fully trained, he cannot confirm when the F-16s will officially begin active duty in Bulgaria’s airspace defense.