The first newly delivered F-16 Block 70 fighter jet to the Bulgarian Air Force has been grounded due to a technical issue. Air Force Commander Major General Nikolay Rusev announced that the aircraft’s testing and acceptance process had been suspended following the malfunction.
Rusev stated that a system deviation had been identified during the acceptance tests and emphasised that this did not mean the aircraft had “broken down.” He added, “Full airworthiness approval has not yet been granted. The acceptance process consists of two phases: technical tests and flight tests.”
Problem detected after aircraft landed in Bulgaria
The two-seat training version of the F-16 Block 70, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, landed in Bulgaria on 2 April. However, the system irregularity was noticed after the aircraft arrived in the country. According to Defence-Industry Europe, it remains unclear whether the malfunction occurred during the flight or after landing.
Rusev stated, “After airworthiness tests are completed, test flights will be conducted with at least two Bulgarian pilots. The aircraft will only be officially commissioned once this process is successfully completed.”
Technical malfunction triggers political controversy
The disruption in the delivery process has also sparked a political crisis within Bulgaria. GERB Party leader and former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov claimed that President Rumen Radev had declared the aircraft “non-operational” and called for the dismissal of the Air Force Commander.
President Radev did not directly comment on the aircraft itself but stated that the situation revealed shortcomings in defence planning.
Spare parts crisis: Faulty unit cannot be replaced
Presidential Defence Secretary and former Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov stated that the aircraft was currently unable to fly and that a faulty unit needed to be replaced. However, the specific spare part was reportedly not included in the initial purchase package and is therefore unavailable in the country.
Stoyanov argued that this shortcoming was a result of cost-cutting policies implemented by the Borisov government. He also claimed that a more expensive offer—which guaranteed spare parts delivery within 24 hours—had been rejected in favour of a cheaper option with delayed delivery, stating, “This problem could have been avoided.”
