Bulgarian and Romanian Air Forces conduct joint air policing exercise

The Bulgarian and Romanian Air Forces conducted a joint flight training exercise titled ‘Blue Bridge 2026’. The mission focused on improving coordination between crews and confirming operational compatibility during cross-border airspace control and protection operations.

During the first phase of the exercise, Romanian F-16 fighters were activated for air policing duties after a C-27J Spartan military transport aircraft deviated from its route. Once control was established, the target was handed over to Bulgarian duty forces, consisting of a pair of MiG-29s, which completed the mission by forcing the aircraft to land at Graf Ignatievo airfield.

The second phase involved similar procedures to force a C-27J Spartan to land at a designated airfield in Romania. The Ministry of Defence stated that this annual exercise, held since 2012, serves as an expression of ongoing cooperation and synchronized action between the two nations to ensure regional security.