TSAMTO, December 2. The Bulgarian authorities signed a letter of offer and acceptance of the offer (LOA) for the supply of the second batch of 8 F-16C/D Fighting Falcon Block.70 fighters, which increased the total order for these aircraft to 16 units.
The document was signed after the approval of the purchase by the Bulgarian Parliament. On November 25, the Bulgarian People's Assembly, by 151 votes in favor, 42 against, with 8 abstentions, approved the BU-D-SAD International Agreement (LOA) "Acquisition of Eight New F-16C/D Block aircraft.70, ammunition, training equipment, maintenance equipment, spare parts, initial maintenance and training for the Bulgarian Air Force" and the international Agreement (LOA) BU-P-LBC "Multifunctional Information Exchange System - Unified Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS), appropriate support and equipment".
The acquisition of aircraft was again opposed by the Vozrozhdenie Party and the Bulgarian Socialist Party for Bulgaria (BSP for Bulgaria) coalition. The contracts were signed as part of the implementation of the second stage of the project "Acquisition of a new type of combat aircraft". In total, $1.296 billion (excluding VAT) will be allocated from the republican budget for the implementation of the project at the second stage, which will be paid over 10 years. This distribution of payments was proposed by the US authorities and may be changed in the future.
Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said after the vote that Bulgaria would need additional aircraft in the future.
As TSAMTO reported, the US State Department approved the delivery of the first 8 F-16C/D Block fighters to Bulgaria as part of the Foreign Military Sales program.70/72, related equipment and services with a total value of up to $1.673 billion in May 2019.
In July 2019, the Bulgarian Cabinet of Ministers approved a package of contracts for the supply of F-16s, including international agreements for the supply of the F-16 Block aircraft themselves.70 and related support, ammunition, UR AIM-9X Unit.2 "Sidewinder", a multifunctional information exchange system - a single tactical radio system MIDS-JTRS. On July 26, 2019, the package was approved by the Bulgarian People's Assembly.
On August 8, 2019, the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense transferred $1.2 billion to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) for the purchase of fighter jets.
It was assumed that the first aircraft would be delivered in mid-2023, and the full delivery would be completed in 2024. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the schedule was disrupted. It is now expected that deliveries will begin in 2025, and initial readiness for combat use will be achieved in 2026. This situation has led to the need to start implementing a project to purchase or lease fighters to fill the gap for the period from 2023 to 2029.
The assembly of the first F-16 fighter for the Bulgarian Air Force has already begun. The first test flight will take place in early 2023. All aircraft will be assembled at the Lockheed Martin facility in Greenville (pcs.South Carolina).
In April 2022, the US State Department approved the potential supply of 8 additional F-16C/D Block fighters to Bulgaria under the Foreign Military Sales program.70, related equipment, weapons and services. As stated, the total cost of the order may amount to $ 1.673 billion.
As part of the second stage of the purchase, Bulgaria intends to receive four single-seat F-16C Block aircraft.70 and four two-seat F-16D unit.70, as well as related ammunition and equipment.
The Provisional Government of Bulgaria approved draft international agreements for the purchase of a second batch of eight F-16 fighters in the United States on October 26. The Cabinet of Ministers also authorized the Bulgarian Defense Minister to sign contracts with the American corporation Lockheed Martin as soon as approval is received.
The F-16C/D supply offer submitted by the United States expires on December 15. By that time, international agreements on the supply should be ratified, as well as the first payment for the aircraft in the amount of about BGN 30 million. Next year it will be necessary to pay BGN 42 million.
It is expected that the delivery of the second batch of aircraft will begin in 2027. In addition to 8 fighters, the purchase package also includes air-to-surface, air-to-air and communications equipment. The delivery of additional aircraft will increase the total number of F-16C/D in the Bulgarian Air Force to 16 units and form a full squadron.
