Bulgaria to get 8 more F-16s from US

SOFIA, Bulgaria

Bulgaria will buy eight more F-16s from the US, the country’s defense minister said on Wednesday.

American defense firm Lockheed Martin has made an offer to provide Bulgaria with eight F-16 Block 70 fighter jets, according to Dragomir Zakov.

Bulgaria has already paid for eight F-16s and the new deal will increase the size of its fleet to 16, part of the country’s move to replace its outdated Russian MiG-29s.

Zakov said the first eight F-16s were purchased for $1.67 billion, while an offer of $1.32 billion has been received for the new aircraft.

The amount can be paid in nine years on a deferred basis, he said.

Zakov said the first eight aircraft are expected to be delivered in 2025 due to various reasons reported by the manufacturer, adding that the US will pay Bulgaria $35 million in compensation for the delay.

However, he said, the compensation will not be paid in cash, explaining that $25 million will go toward rocket equipment for the aircraft, and the remaining will be used for precision-guided weapons training for pilots.