The second F-16 fighter should arrive in Bulgaria at the end of this or the beginning of next month.

This was stated by the Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov. "The arrival of the F-16 is a new stage in the modernization and development of our Air Force. Over the past few years, the problems with combat aviation have been publicly known. Now we have a new platform, using the latest technologies, and this provides a fundamental change in our capabilities. We are not talking about a fighter jet, but about the first multi-purpose Bulgarian combat aircraft," he explained.

The runway where the planes will land has been renovated. Work is also continuing on some military sites, which will be completed by the end of the year. The only site that is late is the building in which the simulator for training pilots should be installed. The minister called on the contractor to speed up the implementation process. 

Four projects for the modernization of the army are currently underway - one is for the F-16 aircraft, the second - for the construction of new naval ships, the third - for the Stryker machines, which will be assembled at Terem. The latest contract is for the IRIS-T anti-missile system, which will be purchased and delivered from Germany. Negotiations are also underway with France for the supply of three coordinate radars.

"If this project is implemented, the Air Force will be the first type of armed forces to be completely renewed," said the Minister of Defense.

The Bulgarian Army is patriotic, but the constitutional obligation to protect Bulgaria is inextricably linked to our collective obligations as a member of NATO, said Atanas Zapryanov.

"Over 8,000 people have gone through NATO and EU operations. A large part of our officers and sergeants are in multinational positions in NATO headquarters, in our delegations to NATO and the EU. The main command staff of our armed forces graduated from Western military academies, so I do not think that they carry anything in their hearts other than a readiness to fulfill both their patriotic duty and their duty in terms of collective defense." I BGNES