Bulgarian Defense Minister Todor Tagarev, Bulgarian Ambassador Georgi Panayotov, and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Emil Eftimov visited the Lockheed Martin plant, where they got updated on the progress of the production of ordered F-16 Block 70.

This is stated in Lockheed Martin’s message.

Currently, seven Bulgarian F-16s are in different stages of production, with the debut flight of the first ordered Block 70 F-16 is scheduled for the end of 2024.

“Bulgaria is receiving a proven, state-of-the-art fighter system that will provide decades of 21st-century security and interoperability with NATO. We are proud that the most advanced F-16 ever produced will help strengthen Bulgaria’s national security,” said OJ Sanchez, Vice President and General Manager of Lockheed Martin’s Integrated Fighter Group.

In September 2023, Militarnyi reported that Lockheed Martin had been contracted by the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense to produce a second batch of F-16 fighter jets.

Production of the second batch of F-16 fighter jets is intended until 2027, with the transfer of aircraft in two batches until 2030.

Within the 2018 contract, the Bulgarian government ordered 16 F-16 fighter jets in the Block 70/72 version to replace a fleet of obsolete MiG-29 fighters.

The first fighters were initially expected to enter service in 2023-24, but the timing was moved.

Because of this, Bulgaria was forced to continue operating the MiG-29 by refurbishing the engines in Poland.

In September 2022, the Bulgarian government decided to purchase a second batch of F-16 fighter jets.

The total value of the contract is estimated at US $1.3 billion, which includes the related equipment and training.

It was recently reported that Slovakia received the first two F-16V Block 70 fighter jets.