The first in a new fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 fighters has arrived in Bulgaria.
Lockheed and the Bulgarian government marked the delivery on 13 April, with plans to hand over seven more jets before the end of 2025. Bulgaria ultimately plans to acquire 16 of the fighters, the latest variant of which is known as the F-16V.
“For the air force, this means a new era in their development,” says Bulgarian defence minister Atanas Zapryanov.
The delivery marks the first time in 35 years that Bulgaria has added a new combat aircraft to its fleet. It is also the first instance of the Eastern European NATO member fielding a Western-made frontline fighter.
Before receiving the new F-16V, the Bulgarian air force fleet included 10 RAC MiG-29s and five Sukhoi Su-25s. The service also operates seven Aero Vodochody L-39 trainer jets from the Czech Republic.
The F-16V marks a significant upgrade to Bulgaria’s combat capability. The new-build Block 70 jets are equipped with the powerful Northrop Grumman APG-83 active electronically scanned array and boast an extended structural service life of 12,000h.
Mike Shoemaker, general manager of Lockheed’s integrated fighter group, says the start of F-16 operations in Bulgaria represents a “new era of enhanced security, advanced capabilities and strengthened partnerships in the region”.
Bulgaria is now the second European country to field the latest F-16 variant, following Slovakia.
Countries in the so-called “eastern flank” of the NATO alliance have become a hub for air operations in recent years, hosting multi-national air policing efforts and helping supply military aid to Ukraine.
Neighbouring Romania has also partnered with Lockheed and other NATO governments to launch an F-16 training centre to support European operators of the single-engined jet.
More than 700 F-16s now operate in Europe, according to Lockheed. The company holds a backlog of 115 F-16Vs, which it assembles in Greenville, South Carolina.
A total of 25 Block 70/72 F-16s have been delivered to customers outside the USA, with six countries signed on the field the latest F-16V.
Block 70 aircraft typically feature a GE Aerospace F110-129 engine, while Block 72 are propelled by the Pratt & Whitney F100-229 turbofan, which is featured on older model F-16s.
