• Forum
• SITREP

• Military

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space
• Public Eye

Further Reading

Bulgaria - Air Force
Bulgarski Voennovazdyshni Sily, BVVS

Within the framework of the National Security Strategy, the Air Force fulfills the following functions: restraining, defensive, peace and security keeping, humanitarian, rescue, integration and social ones. The primary mission of the Air Force is to guarantee the air sovereignty and security of the country, and jointly with the other services, to protect its territorial integrity. The Air Force accomplishes this mission in the system of collective security and defence by building capabilities for participation in fulfilling the basic missions and tasks of the Bulgarian Army:

• “Defense” (under Article 5 of Washington Treaty), includes defence of the country in the system of collective defence, and participation of the military airborne component in collective defence activities outside the territory of the country;
• “Support for the international peace and security” (non-Article 5 of the Washington Treaty), includes participation (with expeditionary forces) in international crises response operations outside the territory of the country; participation in international peace and security enforcement operations; participation in international military cooperation and in international or bilateral formations; participation in the arms control and nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, as well as in international humanitarian operations;
• “Contribution to the national security in peacetime”, includes: surveillance, control and protection of the air space, and jointly with the other services – protection of the national territory and maritime spaces;
• air defence of strategic sites on the territory of the country;
• participation in the struggle against terrorism, organized crime and human trafficking, as well as trafficking of arms and drugs;
• participation in search-and-rescue operations;
• support and protection of the population at times of natural disasters, industrial breakdowns, and catastrophes;
• contribution to the activities of other state bodies and agencies;
• preparation of the infrastructure for crisis response and support of military airborne contingent as a host country;
• participation in the preservation of natural environment.

The Air Force guarantees the sovereignty of the Republic of Bulgaria by executing surveillance, protection and defence of its air space, and executing tasks in the defence of key infrastructure and strategic sites on national territory. This is done within the collective security and defence system, by maintaining the capabilities needed to participate in the execution of Armed Forces’ missions and tasks. The Air Force maintains a state of constant readiness, leads the preparations and partakes in the execution of operations. It exercises aerial navigation control and secures the inviolability of the state’s airspace within NATO’s air defence system.

The Air Force executes tasks: to aid the state and local authorities in preparing, supporting and protecting the population, the rural economy and national territory, to respond to non-military crises and to overcome related consequences; to assist other ministries and fire fighting agencies; and to carry out air surveillance and air transport of personnel and cargo. The Air Force maintains capabilities for planning and participation in independent and joint operations.

The Organisational structure of the Air Force comprises of:

• Air Force Command
• Two air bases
• A forward operations base
• An air defence base
• A Command, Control and Surveillance Base
• A Specialised Equipment Base
• A Centre for Documentary Support
• A Military Police company

The HQ element of the Air Force component maintains constantly operational capabilities for the carrying out of aeronautical tasks. It plans and controls air strike missions, territorial and zone air defence, airborne reconnaissance, close air support and zone isolation. It participates in combat and non-combat search & rescue, electronic warfare and intelligence (EWI), early warning and tactical transport in the zone of operation. The main Air Force control post in peacetime and during crises is the Aviation Operations Centre (AOC) with the ASOC/ASBE. For control of the Air Force component in operations a command & control system is set up. It is incorporated in and uses the peacetime system and other additionally set-up centres.

After the 2010 force structure review, the Air Force will be organised to include: a commander and headquarters; two air force bases (Graf Ignatievo and Krumovo); a forward operations base; an air defence base; a command, control and surveillance base; a specialised equipment base; and a military police company.

Transport helicopters Mi-17 will operate till the expiration of their technical resource. The training Armaments and equipment of Vasil Levski National Military University and of Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy are not included in the main Arms and Equipment list.

Existing infrastructure of the Air Force is located in 67 military areas, and their respective parts, 35 of which are basic and others are located in facilities providing the military activity (short and long range starting stations, communication facilities, power stations, pumping stations). At the end of 2014 the Air Force will operate 22 major military areas to meet its needs. The release of 11 military areas will be completed in 2011 (7 pcs.) and 2012 (4 pcs.). By those means, unnecessary Air Force infrastructure by the end of 2012 will be about 380 pcs. of various buildings and other service infrastructure.

In the Investment Plan-Program of the Ministry of Defence until 2020, the Ministry formulated realistic and operationally substantiated goals on the rearmament of the Air Force. Three of the priority projects included in the Plan concern the Air Force. These are: provision of flight capability of MIG-29 aircraft; maintaining the flight capability of Cougar and Panther helicopters; as well as the project for acquisition of a new type of main combat aircraft, and provision of its integrated logistic support.

After 2014 the Air Force would acquire up to 20 main fighters of a new type/ generation. The key requirements which are incorporated are: through the three projects the Air Force is to acquire capabilities to provide for the air sovereignty of the country within the integrated NATO air defence system, air policing and air reconnaissance, as well as provision of air transport, combat search and rescue missions and air-medical evacuation.

Bulgaria's commitments to modernisation came in 2004 at the NATO summit in Istanbul, which set a modernisation deadline of 2016 Bulgaria and Romania. Bulgaria has made a commitment to be ready to provide eight fighter aircraft at the request of NATO, as well as 4 aircraft, if needed, for joint operations and another 4 aircraft to protect the airspace in the NATO Integrated Air Defence System (NATINADS) known as "Air Policing". Considering that 16 fighter aircraft were needed, the intention was to purchase 20 fighter aircraft.

In September 2010 Defense Minister Anyu Angelov indicated that the Bulgarian government will most likely select from among F-16, Eurofighter Typhoon, or Gripen when it decides to purchase its new multipurpose fighter jets. At that time, Angelov said the tender for the procurement of the new fighter jets for the Bulgarian Air Force would be announced at the beginning of 2011. The new plane will be selected by the middle of 2012, and the delivery should start in 2015. "Our need for a new fighter jet is obvious," said Gen. Angelov, though the investment project for this and other defense deals by 2020 must be adopted by the Parliament.

In February 2011, the Bulgarian defense ministry solicited bids for the delivery of 8 fighters from all manufacturers of Eurofighter. The EADS consortium which manufactures Eurofigheter made an offer of 80 million euro for new fighter aircraft. Subsequently Italy, another manufacturer of Eurofighter, made an offer of 35 million euro for second-hand fighters. Bulgrian PM Boyko Borissov reportedly received an offer for used Eurofighters when he visited Germany on January 17-18 to meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

At the Eighth Bulgarian International Aviation Festival “Sky for All” in September 2011, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov stated that Bulgaria will purchase new fighter aircraft for the Bulgarian Air Forces when this becomes of the utmost importance because of membership in NATO, while, at this stage, the main priorities of the GERB (Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria) government are road construction and the increase in incomes.