Balgarianovinite.com The planned operating costs for Bulgaria’s MiG-29 and Su-25 aircraft in 2026 amount to BGN 114 million, Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov said in a written reply to a question from MP Atanas Slavov of Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) concerning the maintenance, operation, and decommissioning of the aircraft. The reply was published on the website of the National Assembly.
The forecast includes BGN 86,457,750 for the MiG-29s and BGN 27,605,345 for the Su-25s. The estimates are based on annual planning and operational statistics for both types, Zapryanov said.
For maintaining the operational capabilities of the Bulgarian Air Force with MiG-29 and Su-25, the annual operating costs for 2024 and until October 31, 2025, amount to slightly over BGN 104 million. This figure includes personnel costs (salaries for all staff at the respective bases), infrastructure (repairs and maintenance not related to the F-16 programme), spare parts, and aviation fuel. Training costs are not included, as no pilot training for MiG-29 or Su-25 has been conducted over the past five years, the Minister noted.
Zapryanov warned that withdrawing the MiG-29 and Su-25 from service before the F-16 fighters reach initial operational capability would deprive the Bulgarian Air Force of key capabilities and make it impossible to fulfil constitutional and allied commitments for an extended period. Therefore, the decommissioning of the MiG-29 and Su-25 will be closely tied to achieving equivalent capabilities with the F-16s, he said.
Given the unpredictability of these processes, no consultations have been held with Ukraine regarding the future use of the MiG-29 and Su-25 aircraft, Zapryanov added.
Bulgaria has already received six F-16 fighter jets from the United States under a 2019 contract, with two more expected by the end of this year. Once the second contract is fulfilled, the Air Force will have a full squadron of 16 aircraft. The F-16 fighters will assume combat duty once pilot training is finished and all terms of the 2019 contract have been met, Air Force Commander Major General Nikolay Rusev said in an interview marking October 16, Aviation and Air Force Day. 2026 Operating Costs for MiG-29 and Su-25 Aircraft Projected at BGN 114 Mln, Says Defence Minister 2025 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2025-11-11 19:17:45 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law
