Bulgaria is ready to transfer MiG-29s to Ukraine only in exchange for new aircraft

Bulgaria does not plan to transfer its MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine for free. The Ministry of Defense of the country reported this. However, Bulgaria is ready to exchange them for modern combat aircraft from the allies.

The Ministry of Defense of Bulgaria states that the decision to transfer fighter jets without receiving other aircraft in return would lead to a decrease in the country's defense capability, which is against the country's constitution and laws. This is a response to previously published media reports that Bulgaria has allegedly expressed readiness to transfer all of its MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine.

MiG-29 fighter jet of the Bulgarian Air Force. Photo from open sources

"The Ministry of Defense did not conduct negotiations on the free supply of Bulgarian MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine.

Such a decision would lead to a shortage of capabilities, which is against the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Law on Defense and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria," the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense stated. At the same time, it is noted that to implement the decision of the parliament adopted at the end of 2022, the Ministry of Defense of Bulgaria held negotiations on the possibility of introducing the so-called "tripartite agreements" to jointly replace available weapons systems with counterparts from allied countries without losing defense capabilities. According to Bulgarian media, the country currently has 16 MiG-29 fighter jets, and only six of them are operational.

Due to EU sanctions against Russia, Bulgaria can no longer receive spare parts for these fighter jets from the Russian side.

MiG-29, Bulgarian Air Force

They emphasize that if Bulgaria decides to hand over its MiG-29s to Ukraine now, the country will be left without fighter jets at all for at least over a year and a half since the first new F-16 fighter aircraft, which it previously ordered from the USA, will arrive only in 2025. Last year, it was reported that Bulgaria was seeking fighter jets to be leased while the country's Air Force awaits the arrival of new US-made F-16s.

F-16 Block 70/72 fighter aircraft. Photo credits: Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract to produce F-16 fighter jets for Bulgaria in early 2020.

According to its terms, the company must produce eight F-16 Block 70/72 fighter jets and transfer them in 2023-2024.

But later, it was announced that due to problems with COVID-19, Lockheed Martin could not produce the first batch for Bulgaria within the agreed time.

The delivery date was postponed from 2023 to 2025.