DefenceTalkBulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov will take members of his government coalition to Ukraine this week amid an ongoing row over voting on military aid for Kyiv that has shaken his cabinet. A coalition council late Tuesday confirmed that Petkov and representatives of three of the four parties in the ruling coalition — all except […]https://www.defencetalk.com/bulgaria-pm-allies-to-visit-ukraine-amid-military-aid-row-78726/

DefenceTalkThe US Defense Department approved Monday the sale of eight F-16 combat aircraft to Bulgaria for $1.67 billion, bolstering its air force as the regional threat has risen after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “The proposed sale will improve Bulgaria’s capability to meet current and future threats by enabling the Bulgarian Air Force to deploy modern […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-approves-sale-of-eight-f-16-combat-aircraft-to-bulgaria-78586/

DefenceTalkNATO on Friday rejected a Russian demand for the alliance to withdraw troops from eastern European members Bulgaria and Romania. “NATO will not renounce our ability to protect and defend each other, including with the presence of troops in the eastern part of the Alliance. Russia’s demands would create first- and second-class NATO members, which […]https://www.defencetalk.com/nato-rejects-russian-demand-to-withdraw-troops-from-bulgaria-romania-77730/

DefenceTalkSMARDEN, Romania -1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment (Black Knights), 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, conducts a Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise (CALFEX) in both Smarden, Romania and Novo Selo, Bulgaria, Feb.16-22, 2020. The objective of the CALFEX is to validate the company’s ability to work as a cohesive team, while integrating multiple […]https://www.defencetalk.com/black-knight-soldiers-conduct-calfex-in-multiple-countries-74337/

DefenceTalkBulgarian premier Boyko Borisov on Friday said he favored the purchase of US F-16 fighter jets to replace its aging fleet of Soviet-designed MiG-29s. A member of NATO since 2004, Bulgaria has planned a budget of 900 million euros ($1 billion) for the purchase of at least eight fighter aircraft. It has received offers from […]https://www.defencetalk.com/bulgarian-pm-favors-us-f-16-fighters-to-replace-aging-fleet-71996/

DefenceTalkBulgaria’s booming arms trade continued to grow in 2017 with arms and ammunitions exports topping 1.2 billion euros ($1.4 billion), an official report showed Wednesday. Conflicts in the Middle East have boosted Bulgaria’s arms sales in recent years to levels not seen since the fall of communism in 1989. Arms exports in 2017 reached 1.219 […]https://www.defencetalk.com/bulgarias-arms-exports-top-1-2-billion-euros-in-2017-71919/

DefenceTalkTwo F-35A Lightning IIs and about 20 supporting Airmen arrived at Graf Ignatievo Air Base April 28 from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England. The F-35As are participating in the first training deployment to Europe. The aircraft and total force Airmen are from the 34th Fighter Squadron, 388th Fighter Wing, and the Air Force Reserve’s 466th […]https://www.defencetalk.com/f-35s-forward-deploy-to-bulgaria-69877/

DefenceTalkTwo U.S. F-35 Lightning II aircraft and about 20 supporting airmen arrived in Bulgaria today from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, as part of a deployment that enhances the region’s ability to host the aircraft for future deployments and operations. “This deployment clearly demonstrates our nation’s contribution to the security and collective defense here in […]https://www.defencetalk.com/usaf-5th-generation-fighter-jets-arrive-in-bulgaria-69844/

DefenceTalkThe United States and Bulgarian air forces will conduct the first ever joint NATO air policing mission in Bulgaria, Sept. 9-16. The air policing mission enables on-demand response capabilities, which serve to mitigate and deter violations and infringements on Bulgarian sovereign airspace. Working alongside the Bulgarian air force are four F-15C Eagle fighter aircraft from […]https://www.defencetalk.com/bulgaria-us-air-forces-commence-joint-air-policing-68151/

DefenceTalkThe US Air Force and the Bulgarian Air Force will jointly conduct air policing to protect Bulgarian airspace starting on 9 September 2016. Two US F-15 fighter jets will join Bulgaria’s MIG-29s for a week on this mission, which is part of NATO’s enhanced air policing measures for eastern Allies. Until now, air policing over […]https://www.defencetalk.com/usaf-to-augment-air-policing-over-bulgaria-68052/