The Bulgarian Air Force will replace its MiG-29s with Block 70 Vipers.
As the U.S. DoD’s release states, Lockheed Martin has been awarded a 512M USD contract, for the production of eight F-16 Block 70 jets for Bulgaria. The work is embedded within the FMS (Foreign Military Sales) process, with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio being the contracting party. The Pentagon has noted that the value also includes 4.2M USD worth of pre-priced options.
The American manufacturer would complete the work in Ft. Worth, Texas; and Greenville, South Carolina. The production is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2027.
Bulgaria decided to acquire the Viper (as the F-16 Fighting Falcon is dubbed in the fighter pilots community) in July 2019. The deal concerns, as mentioned above, eight jets (including two two-seaters) and related equipment. The acquisition is aimed at replacing the Bulgarian MiG-29 Fulcrums.
Back in May 2019, as DefenseNews reported at the time, the Bulgarian defense minister Krasimir Karakachanov put pressure on the US, to reduce the price of the deal – the country had decided to pursue a tendering procedure and the Bulgarian official suggested at the time that the government may go back to negotiate with Italy (offering the Typhoon) or Sweden (offering the Gripen).
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It is difficult not to compare this situation with the Polish F-35 acquisition, with Warsaw resigning from the competitive procurement process whatsoever.
Bulgarian F-16 procurement is reported to be the largest foreign defense contract involving Sofia since 1989.
Europe is currently on a shopping spree for fighter jets, with acquisitions being in progress in numerous countries, including Germany, Poland, Finland or Switzerland.
