U.S. Officials Greenlight $1.6 Billion Sale of F-16 Block 70s to Bulgaria

Approval means Bulgaria is one step closer to buying four F-16 C Block 70 and four F-16 D Block 70 fighters.

Tuesday, April 05, 2022 at 02:40 PM ET

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The aircraft would be manufactured in Lockheed Martin's new facility in Greenville, South Carolina. [Courtesy: Lockheed Martin]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. State Department has approved a potential $1.6 billion sale of eight Lockheed Martin F-16 C/D Block 70 fighter aircraft and related equipment to Bulgaria.
This acquisition aims to significantly enhance Bulgaria's air defense capabilities, modernize its armed forces, and improve interoperability with NATO allies in the Black Sea region.
The F-16 Block 70 aircraft incorporate advanced technology from 5th-generation fighters, offering a modern and cost-effective solution for Bulgaria's defense needs.
U.S. officials clarified that this sale is not directly related to efforts to backfill MiG-29 fighters for Ukraine, despite ongoing requests for such aircraft.

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U.S. State Department officials have approved the potential $1.6 billion sale of eight Lockheed Martin F-16 C/D Block 70 fighter aircraft and related equipment to Bulgaria, it announced Monday.

According to U.S. officials, the government of Bulgaria’s requested purchase of the 4th generation NATO fighter included four F-16 C Block 70 aircraft, four F-16 D Block 70 aircraft and 11 F100-GE-129D engines.