Bulgaria To Buy Expensive, Third-Hand F-16 Aircraft

The Bulgarian Defense Ministry has decided to acquire expensive third-hand F-16s from Portugal, according to the Bulgarian media reports.

      The Bulgarian government will pay approximately BGN 700 M for nine F-16s Block 15 to Portugal even though in 1999 Portugal paid twice less – BGN 268 M – to the US government for 25 second-hand F-16 planes, the Bulgarian daily Sega reported Thursday.

      Gen. Rumen Radev told the Presa daily that the Portuguese deal was the best option because it included everything necessary for the operation of the planes, while Gripen and Italy offered only the planes without arms and with only the most basic land equipment for their operation.

      According to Radev, even though the second-hand fighter jets from Portugal are already 30-years-old, they can be used for 25 more years.