Bulgarian Army Launches Tactical Training Shabla 2015

A tactical training involving military firing at the training area of the Bulgarian Air Force near the Black Sea town of Shabla began on Monday.

More than 750 servicemen from the Bulgarian Air Force, 460 troops from the Bulgarian Land Forces, 200 servicemen from the Bulgarian Navy, crews from the Military Police Service and Border Police will participate in the four-day drills.

Up to sixty servicemen from the Slovak Air Force will also take part in this year's training, the defence ministry's press service informs.

During the drills, different types of missiles will be fired and there will be training in the destruction of air and surface targets.

MiG-29 fighter jets, Su-25 and L-39 aircraft and Mi-17 helicopters are among the equipment, which will take part in the training.

The aim is to improve the command and management system and to raise the preparedness of the air defence units of the Bulgarian army.

Meanwhile, NATO launched the largest airborne military training in Europe since the end of the Cold War - Swift Response 2015, which is taking place on Bulgarian territory between August 20 and September 13.