Bulgaria has officially received its first freshly constructed F-16 Block 70 fighter jet, signifying a major turning point in the country's attempts to upgrade its air force and more closely conform with NATO criteria. 

Bulgaria's biggest defence purchase in decades 

Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov and Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov present, the transfer ceremony was held at Graf Ignatievo Air Base on April 2, 2025. Ordered from Lockheed Martin under two contracts signed in 2019 and 2022, the aircraft is the first of 16 F-16 Block 70 fighters totalling $2.5 billion. 
This delivery is the first time a Balkan nation has gotten a brand-new F-16 Block 70/72 straight from the assembly line. Greece had already added the Block 72 version into its inventory by updating its legacy F-16 Block 52+ planes through a domestic modernisation effort; nevertheless, those planes were not freshly built. 

Modern radar and advanced avionics 

The F-16 Block 70 has a contemporary cockpit, improved survivability features, upgraded mission computers, and the Northrop Grumman APG-83 AESA radar among its state-of-the-art features. Its longer structural life of 12,000 hours guarantees decades of operating viability. 
Bulgaria will retire its ageing fleet of Soviet-era MiG-29 fighters, completely converting to a NATO-standard combat capability once all 16 planes are delivered by 2027. Many have already studied in the United States; Bulgarian pilots and maintenance staff members will undergo a thorough training course as part of the changeover.

Strategic importance for NATO's eastern front 

This purchase improves Bulgaria's deterrent stance and increases NATO ally interoperability. Adding Block 70 helps Bulgaria close a decades-long imbalance in regional air power balance and places it as a frontline state with 4.5-generation multirole fighter capabilities. 
With two more planes planned for delivery later in 2025, Lockheed Martin is anticipated to provide the following planes on time. 

Author: Özgür Ekşi