Bulgaria's long wait for the F-16 Block 70 drags on. Out of the first batch of eight fighters ordered in 2019, only two have been delivered. Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov admitted the military still has no clear timeline for the arrival of the remaining jets, Bulgarian outlet Mediapool reports.
According to the original plan, most of the aircraft were supposed to arrive between July and October 2025.
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However, deliveries have been stalled due to what the U.S. described as a shortage of aerial refueling tankers, needed to ferry the fighters across the Atlantic.
"Their number is limited and they are heavily tasked with supporting US Air Force priority missions. Flights to partner nations are rescheduled or canceled when necessary," the Departament of Defense's response states.
From Defense Express we want to add, that unlike Sweden, which ships its Gripens overseas by commercial vessels, the U.S. insists on flying F-16s to export customers. The heavy tanker workload has raised eyebrows, as the only recent known large-scale deployment was during June's Midnight Hammer strike against iran's nuclear program.
For now, Sofia can only wait. The Foreign Military Sales (FMS) framework, under which the F-16s were purchased, does not allow for penalties in case of delays — a situation where Bulgaria sanctioning the U.S. seems unthinkable.
Complicating matters, Bulgaria's very first F-16V Block 70 suffered a major defect. Upon arrival in April, the jet was declared unfit to fly due to a faulty circuit board. The issue forced it to miss the planned flyover at the May 6 Armed Forces Day parade. Sources suggested the problem arose because the original 2019 contract, worth $1.2 billion for eight fighters, left no budget for spare parts.
In 2022, Sofia ordered another eight F-16s for $1.3 billion — about $162.5 million per jet — but even that price looks modest compared to todays contracts, such as those for the Philippines.
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