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Lockheed Martin has delivered the first F-16 Block 70 fighter jet to Bulgaria, marking a significant upgrade for the Bulgarian Air Force. The delivery took place on February 3 at Lockheed Martin's new factory in Greenville, South Carolina. This move is part of Bulgaria's plan to replace its fleet of Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrums with more advanced aircraft.
The Minister of Defence of Bulgaria, Todor Tagarev, described the acquisition as "a huge project and a determined effort towards enhancing the capabilities of our Armed Forces." Mike Shoemaker from Lockheed Martin emphasized that "the F-16 will help the Bulgarian Air Force stay ahead of threats in the region and play a key role in the allied peacekeeping mission in Europe and around the world."
The F-16 Block 70 model offers several enhancements over previous versions, including improved avionics and longer range. It is equipped with a General Electric F110-GE-129 turbofan engine, an APG-83 radar, and other advanced features like Auto GCAS and enhanced cockpit displays.
