Bulgaria has formally received its first F-16 Block 70 fighter jet, marking the beginning of the country’s operations with the modernised aircraft, according to a statement released by Lockheed Martin on 14 April.
The milestone was commemorated during a ceremony at Graf Ignatievo Air Base, attended by officials from the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence and Lockheed Martin representatives.
The aircraft is the first of 16 F-16 Block 70 jets ordered by Bulgaria. According to Lockheed Martin, the first eight aircraft are expected to be delivered by the end of 2025.
Mike Shoemaker, Lockheed Martin’s vice president and general manager for the Integrated Fighter Group, described the delivery as “not just a celebration of a new aircraft for the Bulgarian Air Force”, but “a new era of enhanced security, advanced capabilities and strengthened partnerships in the region.”
The F-16 Block 70 is equipped with advanced technologies including the Northrop Grumman APG-83 AESA radar, upgraded avionics, and the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto GCAS)—a feature credited by the company with saving 13 pilots across 12 incidents since its introduction to the U.S. Air Force in 2014. The aircraft also has an extended structural service life of 12,000 hours, according to the manufacturer.
Lockheed Martin noted that Bulgaria’s new fighters will join a network of over 700 F-16s currently operating in Europe, and more than 3,100 worldwide. The company currently has a backlog of 114 Block 70/72 jets, with 26 delivered to date to various international customers. Production is being carried out at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Greenville, South Carolina.
Lockheed Martin characterised the delivery as part of broader efforts to strengthen European air defence cooperation and deepen ties between the United States and NATO allies in the region.
