Lockheed Martin and Bulgaria Mark Arrival of First F-16 Block 70 Jet

Lockheed Martin and the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence celebrated the arrival of the first F-16 Block 70 fighter jet in Bulgaria, marking the beginning of F-16 operations in the country. The event took place at Graf Ignatievo Air Base.

Bulgaria has ordered 16 F-16 Block 70 jets, with the first eight scheduled for delivery by the end of 2025. These jets are equipped with the Northrop Grumman APG-83 AESA Radar, advanced avionics, and a structural service life of 12,000 hours. They also include the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto GCAS), credited with saving 13 pilots since its introduction in 2014.

Mike Shoemaker, vice president and general manager of the Integrated Fighter Group at Lockheed Martin, stated that the milestone represents a significant step in regional security and defense cooperation.

Bulgaria joins a European network of over 700 F-16s and a global fleet of more than 3,100. Lockheed Martin is currently working through a backlog of 114 F-16 Block 70/72 jets, with 26 delivered so far from its Greenville, South Carolina facility.

Source: Lockheed Martin Newsroom (lockheedmartin.com)