Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Bulgaria and USA to assess the readiness of Graf Ignatievo Air Base to receive the new F-16 fighters

Photo: lockheedmartin.com

The United States is sending an inspection team to certify the 3rd Air Base in Graf Ignatievo for the reception of the new Bulgarian F-16 fighter jets. If the inspection is unsuccessful Bulgaria may temporarily base its aircraft on foreign territory, as Slovakia did, segabg.com reports. 

''On April 22 and 24, Bulgaria’s Chief of Defense will visit Graf Ignatyevo with experts. There will be experts from the American side. Some of the facilities need certification in order for us to receive the aircraft on our territory", caretaker Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov said in response to a question by Focus news agency whether Bulgaria was ready to receive the first F-16 Block 70 fighters. In early April, former Defense Minister Todor Tagarev warned that the efforts of his team had failed to sufficiently compensate for the backlog in the preparation of the airbase.




Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

National Assembly to elect heads of State Intelligence Agency and State Agency Technical Operations

On a proposal by the Council of Ministers, the heads of the State Intelligence Agency and the State Agency Technical Operations will, from now on, be elected by the National Assembly, BNR’s Maria Fileva reports. This means the president’s powers..

published on 10/10/25 2:45 PM
Transport Minister Grozdan Karadjov

Three new Siemens Smartron locomotives put into service

Three new electric locomotives Siemens Smartron are entering service as of today, Transport Minister Grozdan Karadjov has announced. Two of them will be running along the Sofia-Burgas line, and one – along the Sofia-Russe line. The new..

published on 10/10/25 2:24 PM

European commissioner for agriculture says vaccinating animals is last resort

Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, Minister of Agriculture Georgi Tahov and Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen inaugurated the reconstructed main irrigation canal Trakiets near Konush village.   The reconstruction increases..

published on 10/10/25 1:12 PM