Bulgaria vrea să închirieze opt avioane vechi F-16 din Olanda

Bulgaria has requested to lease up to eight F-16 aircraft from the Netherlands until 2030, as announced by Defense Minister Dimităr Stoianov. The request follows a successful joint mission with Dutch forces in 2022. Currently, Bulgaria relies on outdated MiG-29s for air defense, with only a few operational. The country has already purchased 16 new F-16 Block 70s from the U.S., but further deliveries are delayed until 2030. Bulgaria previously missed the chance to acquire second-hand F-16s from the Netherlands due to political conditions related to Ukraine. Additionally, the first of seven mine-hunting vessels from the Netherlands and Belgium is expected by October, although repairs will be necessary.