Bulgaria's F-16 Purchase Faces Three-Year Slip, Officials Weigh Interim Options

Bulgaria’s programme to replace its MiG-29 Fulcrums with American-made Block 70 F-16 Fighting Falcons has hit a major timing snag, with the second batch of eight aircraft now expected no earlier than the second quarter of 2030, roughly three years behind the original 2027 target. Lockheed Martin attributes the slip to production delays and is working to speed up manufacturing, but officials say no contract renegotiation is planned.

Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov stressed the need for price certainty, timely delivery of spare parts, and trained pilots to get the jets operational. To bridge the capability gap, Sofia has opened talks with Washington on purchasing used F-16s and is also seeking spare components or operational MiG-29s from fellow NATO members like Poland and Hungary. The first batch of eight Block 70s arrived in January 2025 and were stationed at Graf Ignatievo Air Base. The delay underscores Bulgaria’s challenge of maintaining NATO readiness while its legacy fleet stays airborne.