Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

President Rumen Radev co-pilots F-16, praises the aircraft's capabilities

Photo: BGNES

President Rumen Radev was co-pilot in an F-16 fighter piloted by an Italian pilot. The demonstration flight from the Graf Ignatyevo airbase lasted 40 minutes. 

"The F-16 flight took me back to 2005, when General Clark, then a captain, and I flew such a fighter. At that time, I was the commander of the Graf Ignatyevo Air Base, and the NATO defence planning process was initiated after our accession," Radev said. 

He recalled that thanks to cooperation with the US, "we have mastered many modern tactics, techniques and procedures, we have mastered the full capabilities of the MiG-29 and our pilots are no longer inferior to their American counterparts".  

Radev expressed confidence that the acquisition of the F-16 Block 70 would remove a number of technical limitations for Bulgarian aviation. "In order to fully exploit the capabilities of this wonderful aircraft, we need to continue working with the pilots at Aviano Air Base," Radev added.



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

Weather forecast: Temperatures continue to drop

Over the next 24 hours the weather will continue cloudy, with rain mostly in the Southwestern half of the country and sleet in high plains. The precipitation over Mounts Rila and the Rhodopes will be considerable. There will be a moderate, in..

published on 11/30/24 6:15 PM

A Kilogram of Kindness collects food for people in need

The Bulgarian Food Bank’s Kilogram of Kindness food drive, is collecting food for the needy for the 12th consecutive time. Four to seven tons of food with a longer shelf lifeis expected to be collected – such as rice, lentils,..

published on 11/30/24 4:44 PM

Eurobarometer: Bulgarians’ trust in the EU is a little over the average for the Union

A Eurobarometer survey has registered the highest level of trust in the European Union since 2007 and the highest level of support ever for the common currency, the euro, both in the EU as a whole (74%) and in the euro area (81%). In Bulgaria,..

published on 11/30/24 4:30 PM