The first F-16 Block 70 multirole fighter jet for the Bulgarian Air Force landed at Graf Ignatievo Air Base near Plovdiv on Wednesday, in a delivery attended by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov, and other officials.
Defence Minister Zapryanov had previously stated in January that the aircraft was expected to arrive in early April, later confirming April 2 as the scheduled date.
“The arrival of the aircraft alone does not immediately make it Bulgarian. A formal procedure, including the official transfer of documents, must be completed,” Zapryanov said. He added that a formal handover ceremony is scheduled for April 12.