There will be 11 F-16 fighter pilots by the end of the year, Major General Nikolay Rusev, Commander of the Bulgarian Air Force, told journalists on Friday. He was attending a ceremonial wreath- and flower-laying event at the Monument to the Aviator in Sofia to mark Bulgarian Aviation and Air Force Day. Bulgaria has already received eight F-16 fighter jets.
Asked how many pilots are currently available, Major General Rusev said he could not comment on the exact number. In September, he said that the Air Force had eight trained F-16 pilots, a figure expected to rise to 11 by the end of the year and to 15 by April 2027.
“Pilot training is progressing at the pace we expected. The pilots are flying and actively participating in exercises held in Bulgaria. They are also involved in the current situation, conducting airborne intelligence-gathering operations. I cannot provide further details, but the F-16 is being fully utilized,” Major General Rusev said.
“Once the aircraft is fully equipped and operational, it will also begin performing combat alert duties. This has not yet happened, and it is beyond our control. However, we are preparing, and as soon as the aircraft is ready, the pilots will immediately assume combat alert duties,” he added.
“We conduct regular training and prepare to defend Bulgaria’s airspace. We maintain continuous air defence alert duties. Whether or not there is an escalation in the Black Sea makes no difference to us. We are always ready to act,” the Air Force Commander stated.
Regarding the MiG-29 fighter jets, the Air Force Commander said the aircraft would continue flying for as long as their remaining service life allows.
“I expect the MiG-29s to remain in service until they are replaced by a second squadron of fighter jets or until their service life expires in 2030. We are in constant contact with Poland. The Poles assist us in every possible way and are our only source of spare parts and maintenance services for the MiG-29 aircraft,” Major General Nikolay Rusev explained.
He also noted that Poland continues to maintain and operate some of its own MiG-29 fighter jets and that not all of them have been transferred to Ukraine.
2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-10-16 09:04:11
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BULGARIA NEWS – NEWS AGENCY 2009–2026 2026-10-16 09:04:11
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