Balgarianovinite.com Lockheed Martin has completed production of all F-16 Block 70 aircraft for Bulgaria and Slovakia’s initial fleets, equipping both air forces with advanced F-16s ready for NATO and allied operations, the representative of the manufacturer for Bulgaria announced on Tuesday.
The aircraft were produced at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Greenville, South Carolina, and completed DD250 final acceptance through the US government’s Foreign Military Sales programme, the announcement added.
The F-16 Block 70 fleets now produced, provide Bulgaria and Slovakia with the possibility to secure their national air defense, as well as support NATO air patrol missions with a modern, fully NATO-compatible fighter jet. The fighters connect directly to Alliance systems and perform the same missions already carried out by F-16 operators across Europe, the statement said.
The deliveries are key to both countries’ defense modernization plans, as well as to the harmonization of their air forces with the training, standards, and operational practices used by 29 allied countries. The systems support the full range of air policing, air defence and joint exercise missions flown by F-16 operators across Europe, the statement said.
The F-16 Block 70 features the APG 83 AESA radar, which shares 95% software commonality and 70% hardware commonality with the F-35 radar, Lockheed Martin said. The aircraft also includes conformal fuel tanks, a modern digital cockpit, a 12,000 hour service life and the life saving Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto GCAS).
On October 18, two additional Bulgarian F-16 Block 70 fighter jets landed at the Third Air Base in Graf Ignatievo, the Defence Ministry announced. Delivery is proceeding according to the agreement with the US Government. The first four jets have been received, the next two have arrived, and the final two are scheduled for delivery by the end of the year, Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov said at the time. He added that as 2026 approaches, Bulgaria will have fully completed the contract with the United States, allowing for the technological commissioning and test flights of the newly delivered jets. By the end of 2025, in fulfillment of the 2019 contract, Bulgaria has to have received a total of eight aircraft. Lockheed Martin: Production of F-16 Block 70 Fleets for Bulgaria and Slovakia Completed 2025 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2025-12-16 18:23:06 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