Bulgarian Mig-29s on exercise with Greek F-16s
Posted on 12/16/2010 7:50:15 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Cash-strapped Bulgarian air force to continue reliance on Soviet fighters
08:48, December 17, 2010
Defense Minister Anyu Angelov said Thursday that Soviet-made fighters would continue to serve as the mainstay of the Bulgaria's air force due to limited funding.
Budgetary cuts would also force the defense ministry to cancel some contracted Western weapons, Angelov said at a press conference.
The European country, a NATO member since 2004, had planned to order "no more than 20" NATO-compatible aircraft as a replacement for the 16 MiG-29 fighters that make up the backbone of its current air defense.
Angelov said, however, that Bulgaria would only announce a tender for supply of "probably no more than eight" multi-role fighters at no earlier than the beginning of 2012.
"This is difficult and requires more people and relevant infrastructure, but we have no other choice," Angelov said.
He said that his ministry has also entered into negotiations to cancel three of the six Eurocopter AS565 Panther multi-purpose helicopters ordered in 2005.
The ministry had already managed to cancel two of the five Alenia C-27J Spartan transport aircraft contracted in 2006, he said.
Source: Xinhua
Bulgarian Mig-29s on exercise with Greek F-16s
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