Israeli F-16S: A Possible Upgrade to the Bulgarian Air Force

Israel is in the running to replace Bulgaria's aging MiG-29s after Sofia gave the green light to replace its Soviet-designed jets.

Bulgaria's parliament approved the plan to buy the jets in June in order to improve its compliance with NATO standards - which it joined in 2004 - in a 3.5 billion leva (NIS 7.4 billion) military modernization project.

Some 1.8 billion leva (NIS 3.8 billion) will cover the cost of the fighter jets which would be acquired by Sofia in two stages of eight each, as well as ground handling, training and logistical support.

Other countries bidding for the defense contract include the United States (F-16 and F/A-18 Super Hornet), Portugal (F-16), Italy (Eurofighter Tranche 1), Germany (Eurofighter 3 Tranche), France (Dassault Rafale) and Sweden (Gripen C/D).

Israel and Bulgaria have a close relationship, and have held joint air force drills since 2012. Last September, IAF F-15 and F-16 jets took part in a week-long joint exercise named Collector's Item 17.

"The holding of the joint training activities will lead to increased interoperability and expansion of military co-operation between the armed forces of Bulgaria and Israel, as well as to the improvement of the preparation of the units of the Bulgarian Air Force," read a government statement at time.

Israel is also set to sell F-16s to Croatia which officially chose the Israeli jets on March 29 in a deal worth close to $500 million. According to local press, the 12 F-16C/D Barak jets will be called Flash and Storm after the two Croatian military operations against Serbia in 1995.

In December 2016 Israel retired its fleet of F-16A and F-16B (Netz) fighter jets. The planes had been the backbone of the IAF for 36 years. The F-16B...