Bulgaria faces fighter jet crisis amid F-16 delivery delays

Bulgaria is facing a critical shortage of operational fighter jets due to the aging MiG-29 fleet and significant delays in the delivery of F-16 aircraft. While official records list a fleet of 14 MiG-29s and 8 F-16 Block 70s, the newer F-16s are not yet in active service, and the Soviet-era MiG-29s are suffering from a severe lack of spare parts.

Delivery timelines for a second batch of eight F-16s, ordered in 2022, have been pushed back from 2027 to at least 2030. In an attempt to bridge this capability gap, Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov reported that efforts to acquire used Gripen or F-16 fighters from Sweden and the United States were unsuccessful due to the scarcity of available aircraft.

As a result, Bulgaria’s primary strategy is to secure spare parts to maintain its existing MiG-29 fleet. The government previously considered purchasing Polish MiG-29s to use as a source for components, but Poland has prioritized transferring its aircraft to Ukraine.