Minister of Defense Todor Tagarev has surprisingly announced that a procedure is underway for 6 more engines for the MiG-29 jets of the Bulgarian Army and that the Soviet aircraft would not only fly until the arrival of the F-16s, but will continue to operate after that. 

"During my mandate, we concluded a contract for the repair of 6 engines for the MiG 29 jets and two units for coordinating their work, which will allow several aircraft to be operational and maintained. We have done our best to make these aircraft flying until the delivery of the F-16 jets and even a little bit beyond that,” the minister told BNT. The first F-16s are expected to arrive in the spring of 2025.

Bulgaria has a dozen MiG-29s, of which usually no more than 6-7 are operational. Licensed repairs are done only in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, while engines can be provided by the same countries, as well as Poland and Slovakia.