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

Bulgaria to receive the first F-16 fighter jets at the beginning of 2025

Photo: lockheedmartin.com

The first F-16 fighter jets will arrive at the beginning of 2025, caretaker Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov said for BNT. In the authum of 2024, Bulgarian pilots will be trained in the United States how to fly the aircraft. Next year, Bulgaria will also receive the new Stryker combat vehicles.

According to Minister Zapryanov, the modernization of the army is underway, and people see the future with new aircraft, combat vehicles, and ships. In his words, increasing the salaries of military personnel is an important but insufficient tool.

"Now the responsibility lies with the political leadership of the Ministry of Defense and the military command to develop other mechanisms to make the military profession attractive", Atanas Zapryanov said.

Understaffing is most concerning in the Land Forces, and in particular in our main combat brigades, which, according to NATO's new requirements, must maintain a high level of readiness, Atanas Zapryanov went on to say.



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

Tuesday will be cold, rainy and windy, with snow showers

Overnight it will be mostly clear. Winds will decrease in many areas.  Minimum temperatures will be between -5°C and 0°C, reaching -8°C in the highlands and valleys and around -7°C in Sofia. On Tuesday there will be scattered clouds , becoming..

published on 4/7/25 7:05 PM

Ministry of Education wants to make religion classes mandatory

The Ministry of Education and Science will offer religion classes in the mandatory curriculum, focusing on ethical, moral, cultural and historical competencies, Education Minister Krasimir Valchev told the Union of Bulgarian Teachers. "The introduction..

published on 4/7/25 5:55 PM

Divers map the most interesting underwater sites on the southern part of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast

Divers, who are members of the non-profit association "Friends of the Sea - Burgas" described and marked on a map the most interesting and visited underwater sites located on the seabed along the southern part of the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. The..

published on 4/7/25 5:33 PM