Dawes Posted June 4, 2019 Share Posted June 4, 2019 Presumably, eight aircraft meet whatever requirements they have? https://www.dsca.mil/sites/default/files/mas/bulgaria_19-36.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panzermann Posted June 4, 2019 Share Posted June 4, 2019 Bulgaria is poor. They do not have money for more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawes Posted June 5, 2019 Author Share Posted June 5, 2019 From reading the news, they aren't happy with the quoted price anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregShaw Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 From reading the news, they aren't happy with the quoted price anyway.Make a deal on the trade in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawes Posted June 5, 2019 Author Share Posted June 5, 2019 From looking at the announcement, the request includes a token amount of munitions. Looks like a very limited training amount and a few war reserves (unless they intend to request a follow-up order?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonJ Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 Bulgaria was spending 2% or more on defense 10 years ago. Since then its been 1.5ish with last year apparantly 1.55. But would more money into fighter jets be worth the money? Expensive items like fighter jets really only reach full potential when the system of systems comes with it. Full training, full munitions, meaningful aircraft quantity, long term upgrade gurantee, any supporting air, sea, or ground based radars, etc. Would it be worthwhile for Bulgaria to push back to 2%? I suppose the starting point is as to whether or not ground forces are getting the proper training and equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETAC21 Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 Unless you don't mind having an airliner flying into buildings, some kind of fighter is needed. Bulgaria has MiG-29s and those will eventually run out of hours Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobu Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 An armed advanced trainer along the lines of a Yak-130 might be ideal for Bulgaria's needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETAC21 Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 Not as a NATO member, they have enjoyed Russian tech support since the Cold War and predictably they want something better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 Unless you don't mind having an airliner flying into buildings, some kind of fighter is needed. Bulgaria has MiG-29s and those will eventually run out of hours I don't think this is a true concern of Bulgaria. If it is, they will need more than eight fighters to fulfill that kind of need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panzermann Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 An armed advanced trainer along the lines of a Yak-130 might be ideal for Bulgaria's needs. The Yak-130 is subsonic, so not really useful for air policing. The Korean T-50 Golden Hawk seems like a good offer and is more or less NATO standards compatible and supersonic. But only Mach 1.5. So some jets still can run away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobu Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 Not a fan of the Korean Wave, personally, but I think the Golden Eagle would be a good choice for Bulgaria's needs as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawes Posted June 7, 2019 Author Share Posted June 7, 2019 You would think that they could have gotten a lot better deal on some refurbished/upgraded F-16 Block 40/50 models (assuming that the USAF or someone had excess airframes). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbanoid Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 You would think that they could have gotten a lot better deal on some refurbished/upgraded F-16 Block 40/50 models (assuming that the USAF or someone had excess airframes). Cheaper? Yes, in the short run. Better? No. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DB Posted June 8, 2019 Share Posted June 8, 2019 When you have unfriendly neighbours, you need a capability that requires them to think a little before messing you about. Also, you need high performance for the day to day QRA role as already mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bojan Posted June 8, 2019 Share Posted June 8, 2019 What unfriendly neighbours does Bulgaria have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stargrunt6 Posted June 21, 2019 Share Posted June 21, 2019 They might be anticipating Turkey getting booted from NATO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bojan Posted June 21, 2019 Share Posted June 21, 2019 They might be anticipating Turkey getting booted from NATO.Never gonna happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted June 21, 2019 Share Posted June 21, 2019 There isnt even a mechanism for that AFAIK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KV7 Posted June 21, 2019 Share Posted June 21, 2019 JF-17 seems to be good bang for the buck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawes Posted July 27, 2019 Author Share Posted July 27, 2019 Well, that didn't last long: https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2019/07/23/bulgarias-president-walks-away-from-126-billion-deal-for-f-16-jets/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GARGEAN Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 JF-17 seems to be good bang for the buck.Chinese are surely happy with that free ads from Paks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobu Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 Korean AF-50 fighters are now back in play for the Bulgarians, and are probably the favorite at this point. I do not like the maker, but I do like the implications. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawes Posted July 27, 2019 Author Share Posted July 27, 2019 The Korean T-50 series seems like it's becoming the "F-5 for the new century". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Werb Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 Well, that didn't last long: https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2019/07/23/bulgarias-president-walks-away-from-126-billion-deal-for-f-16-jets/ I realise a support package would be included, but isn't $1.67 Bn a lot of money for eight F-16s? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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