Bulgaria seeks Polish support to maintain MiG‑29 fleet

Bulgaria is in talks with a Polish state enterprise to continue maintenance of its Russian‑made MiG‑29 fighter jets, which currently guard the country’s airspace under the NATO "Air Policing" mission. The negotiations were discussed by Prime Minister Rumen Radev and Polish officials, and will keep the MiG‑29s operational until a full combat squadron of eight new F‑16s becomes available.

The MiG‑29s have an extended flight‑hour allowance until 2028, operate in 24‑hour readiness with a 15‑minute scramble time, and are piloted in part by Deputy Base Commander Lt. Col. Dimitar Metaksov of the Graf Ignatievo air base. A recent alert involved intercepting a passenger aircraft on a Warsaw‑Tel Aviv route suspected of a terror threat; the fighters intercepted the plane over the Danube, established communication and were prepared to force a landing if necessary.

The transition to F‑16s will occur only after crews are fully trained and the aircraft’s capabilities are mastered, while the MiG‑29s remain a stop‑gap for Bulgaria’s air defence.