Defence & Space

Rheinmetall receives major international orders for 155mm artillery ammunition

Rheinmetall Denel Munition has received two new orders for 155 mm ERFB artillery ammunition. International customer orders projectiles, propellants and…

2025-06-03 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

Poland: Tenders for Additional Engineering Equipment under the East Shield Initiative

The 2nd Regional Logistics Base has announced four tenders related to the acquisition of engineering and construction equipment for the Polish…

2025-06-02 | Rafał Muczyński | 4 minutes

Karkonosze Program: A Game-Changer for the Polish Air Force’s Tankers?

The Polish Air Force has been requesting the acquisition of aerial refueling tankers for years. The program to procure a multi-role transport…

2025-05-23 | Sławek Zagórski | 5 minutes

Swedish A26 Submarine and Poland’s Orka Program

In early April, Saab organized a visit for representatives of the Polish defense media to the Saab Kockums shipyard, located in Karlskrona…

2025-05-08 | Przemysław Gurgurewicz | 16 minutes

Rheinmetall receives major international orders for 155mm artillery ammunition

Rheinmetall Denel Munition has received two new orders for 155 mm ERFB artillery ammunition. International customer orders projectiles, propellants and…

2025-06-03 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

Rheinmetall Resonant South Africa (Pty) Ltd. established

New subsidiary Rheinmetall Resonant South Africa (Pty) Ltd. complements Rheinmetall’s plant engineering expertise in planning, setting-up and operating of production…

2025-06-02 | Redakcja | 2 minutes

Advancing multi-domain EW operations: Rohde & Schwarz unveils latest innovations at AOC Europe

Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates the next generation of SIGINT/EW systems, sensor fusion and signal analysis solutions, designed to meet the evolving…

2025-05-12 | Redakcja | 2 minutes

Iberian Blackout: Is Poland Prepared for a Similar Scenario?

The blackout on the Iberian Peninsula has prompted a few cautious questions about whether Poland is secure in the event of…

2025-05-02 | Krzysztof Zagórski | 6 minutes

IDET & PYROS 2025: KALAN Tracked Amphibious Vehicle as the Successor to the PTS

During the International Fire Fighting Equipment and Services Fair PYROS (held alongside IDET 2025 in Brno), the Czech company New…

2025-05-30 | Rafał Muczyński | 3 minutes

IDET 2025: Patria AMV XP 8×8 with TURRA 30 Turret

At the International Defence and Security Technologies Fair IDET 2025 in the Czech Republic, Finnish company Patria Oyj showcased its…

2025-05-29 | Rafał Muczyński | 4 minutes

Rheinmetall receives major international orders for 155mm artillery ammunition

Rheinmetall Denel Munition has received two new orders for 155 mm ERFB artillery ammunition. International customer orders projectiles, propellants and…

2025-06-03 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

Rheinmetall Resonant South Africa (Pty) Ltd. established

New subsidiary Rheinmetall Resonant South Africa (Pty) Ltd. complements Rheinmetall’s plant engineering expertise in planning, setting-up and operating of production…

2025-06-02 | Redakcja | 2 minutes

IDET & PYROS 2025: KALAN Tracked Amphibious Vehicle as the Successor to the PTS

During the International Fire Fighting Equipment and Services Fair PYROS (held alongside IDET 2025 in Brno), the Czech company New…

2025-05-30 | Rafał Muczyński | 3 minutes

Leonardo and Weststar Join Forces to Supply Helicopters to Malaysia

During the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Italian company Leonardo and Malaysian firm Weststar…

2025-05-20 | Redakcja | 4 minutes

Rheinmetall receives major international orders for 155mm artillery ammunition

Rheinmetall Denel Munition has received two new orders for 155 mm ERFB artillery ammunition. International customer orders projectiles, propellants and…

2025-06-03 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

Poland: Tenders for Additional Engineering Equipment under the East Shield Initiative

The 2nd Regional Logistics Base has announced four tenders related to the acquisition of engineering and construction equipment for the Polish…

2025-06-02 | Rafał Muczyński | 4 minutes

Polish Minister of Defence Travels to the U.S. for Meeting with Pete Hegseth

A press conference was held at the 1st Airlift Base with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz…

2025-05-26 | Redakcja | 5 minutes

Another Meeting at the Polish Ministry of National Defence with a Delegation from South Korea’s DAPA

Polish Deputy Minister of National Defence Paweł Bejda met with Deputy Minister of South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA),…

2025-05-14 | Redakcja | 1 minutes

Airbus, CNES and VAST reaffirm commitment to strengthening EO capabilities in Vietnam

Airbus Defence and Space, the French Space Agency, and the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology have signed a Declaration of…

2025-05-26 | Redakcja | 2 minutes

ICEYE and IHI start cooperation to develop SAR satellite constellation in Japan

The Polish-Finnish company ICEYE and the Japanese IHI Corporation are beginning cooperation in the construction of a constellation of up to 24…

2025-05-22 | Redakcja | 3 minutes
Shooting

MSBS GROT BULLPUP conversion now available

Fabryka Broni “Łucznik” Radom is introducing long-awaited conversion kits for the MSBS GROT S16 FB-M1 and S10 FB-M1 semi-automatic rifles,…

2025-06-02 | Michał Ihnatów | 3 minutes

IDET 2025: Grand Power Showcases M4M1 Carbines for the Slovak Armed Forces

At the International Defence and Security Technologies Fair IDET 2023 in the Czech Republic, Grand Power — a Slovak firearms manufacturer — showcased…

2025-05-28 | Michał Ihnatów | 4 minutes

MSBS GROT BULLPUP conversion now available

Fabryka Broni “Łucznik” Radom is introducing long-awaited conversion kits for the MSBS GROT S16 FB-M1 and S10 FB-M1 semi-automatic rifles,…

2025-06-02 | Michał Ihnatów | 3 minutes

Streamlight introduces the TLR-8 HL-X and TLR-8 HL-X sub

Streamlight introduces the TLR-8 HL-X flashlight with an integrated laser sight, producing a beam with up to 1,000 lumens of power, offering…

2025-03-18 | Michał Ihnatów | 3 minutes

Protective Rescuer Vest – BC Arms Archangel

The Archangel Rescuer Vest is the result of a collaboration between Polish companies Currahee and BC Arms. It was created in…

2025-05-16 | Mariusz Rams | 6 minutes

Direct Action Spitfire Plate Carrier – Part 1: Testing the Carrier

Nowadays, the market offers a wide range of options in the gear and load-bearing equipment category. One of the most basic…

2025-05-08 | Michał Gaweł | 14 minutes

Enforce Tac 2025 starts on February 24th

Enforce Tac is an international trade fair aimed at law enforcement officers, experts from government agencies, and representatives of the…

2025-01-30 | Michał Ihnatów | 4 minutes

POLSECURE: Holsters HPE Poland offer for uniformed services

At the 3rd International Police and Public Security Fair POLSECURE 2024 in Kielce, Holsters HPE Poland presented its offer for…

2024-05-01 | Redakcja | 2 minutes

MSBS GROT BULLPUP conversion now available

Fabryka Broni “Łucznik” Radom is introducing long-awaited conversion kits for the MSBS GROT S16 FB-M1 and S10 FB-M1 semi-automatic rifles,…

2025-06-02 | Michał Ihnatów | 3 minutes

IDET 2025: Grand Power Showcases M4M1 Carbines for the Slovak Armed Forces

At the International Defence and Security Technologies Fair IDET 2023 in the Czech Republic, Grand Power — a Slovak firearms manufacturer — showcased…

2025-05-28 | Michał Ihnatów | 4 minutes

Setting Up a Shooting Belt: An Example with Clawgear

To assist with shooting training and beyond, various belts and gear configurations have been developed and customized to suit individual needs. It’s…

2024-11-28 | Łukasz Kołodziejski | 14 minutes

Weapon light: a practical tool for everyday service. How to choose?

In the world of armed forces, where every second can determine the outcome of an operation, precision and effectiveness are…

2024-08-29 | Redakcja | 7 minutes

Over 100% increase in gun permits in Poland in 2024

The Polish Police have released statistical data on firearm permits issued in 2024. An increasing number of Poles now hold…

2025-02-20 | Michał Ihnatów | 5 minutes

Firearms In Poland 2023: Number of permits continues to grow

The National Police Headquarters has released statistics regarding the number of firearm permits and firearms themselves in the hands of…

2024-02-17 | Michał Ihnatów | 5 minutes

5 Best Value ATN Rifle Scopes Under €1500

ATN is a leading manufacturer of daytime optics, smart night vision, and thermal vision technology. The innovative features and ergonomic designs…

2022-11-11 | Redakcja | 8 minutes

MILMAG Visits Grand Power

Grand Power is a Slovak manufacturer of the acknowledged good quality firearms. Take part in our guided tour with English subtitles.

2022-05-23 | Redakcja | 1 minutes

Protective Rescuer Vest – BC Arms Archangel

The Archangel Rescuer Vest is the result of a collaboration between Polish companies Currahee and BC Arms. It was created in…

2025-05-16 | Mariusz Rams | 6 minutes

Direct Action Spitfire Plate Carrier – Part 1: Testing the Carrier

Nowadays, the market offers a wide range of options in the gear and load-bearing equipment category. One of the most basic…

2025-05-08 | Michał Gaweł | 14 minutes

EOTECH Holographic Sight – History, Technology, Practice

The holographic sight is a device known for nearly 30 years and used by professionals around the world. A favorite sight of many…

2024-09-02 | Michał Gaweł | 12 minutes

The first Bulgarian F-16 Is Nearing The End Of Production

A delegation of Bulgarian authorities visited the facility of the American company Lockheed Martin in Greenville, South Carolina, where the assembly of the first of 16 F-16C/D Block 70 multi-role aircraft for the air force will soon be completed.

January 16th, 2024. Bulgarian Minister of Defense Todor Tagarev, Ambassador of Bulgaria to the USA Georgi Panayotov, and Chief of Defense Admiral Emil Eftimov visited the Lockheed Martin F-16 production facility in Greenville last week to assess the progress on the F-16C/D Block 70 aircraft, which are intended for their country.

Photos: Lockheed Martin

Currently, seven multi-role aircraft ordered by Bulgaria are in various stages of production. The maiden flight of the first Bulgarian F-16 is scheduled for later this year.

OJ Sanchez, Vice President and General Manager of the Integrated Fighter Group at Lockheed Martin, commented on the visit:

As part of the ongoing contract, Bulgaria is acquiring modern and proven fighters that will serve it for decades as part of 21st Century Security, ensuring the highest combat capability and interoperability within the NATO alliance. We are proud that the most advanced F-16 aircraft ever built will be delivered to Bulgaria, thus enhancing the defense capabilities of the country.

Bulgaria will be the second European country to receive the F-16C/D Block 70. So far, the production line in Greenville has already assembled 135 aircraft of this version, making this facility one of the key contributors to the security of allied nations worldwide.

Press release

Analysis

This is not the first visit of a Bulgarian delegation to the USA to inspect the progress on the F-16 aircraft for it’s air force (Voennovëzdušni sili, VVS). On November 11, 2023, the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense presented the first yet unfinished aircraft.

According to the current schedule, the first two aircraft, including one F-16C and one F-16D, are expected to be completed by the end of July 2024. Deliveries to the recipient will commence no later than the end of March 2025.

Bulgaria ordered 16 F-16C/D Block 70 aircraft, with the first eight ordered in July 2019 in the latest production version, for the equivalent of $1.256 billion, and the remaining eight in September 2021. However, these were expected to be delayed, and according to information from February 17, 2022, the first deliveries were supposed to start no earlier than 2024 (and actually, it is supposed to involve symbolic handover in the USA, where Bulgarian personnel are trained, rather than relocation to Bulgaria). The main reason for the delays, primarily among Lockheed Martin subcontractors, was the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally, they were planned to be fulfilled between 2023 and 2027.

The Bulgarian Air Force possesses 11 MiG-29A/UB fighter aircraft, stationed at the 3rd Fighter Air Base at Graf Ignatievo airfield. However, this fleet is gradually decreasing in size (in 2021, it had 14 aircraft), and it suffers from low operational readiness (during that time, only 5-7 were expected to be operational). Additionally, one of the aircraft was lost in crash on June 9, 2021. Consequently, the government in Sofia declined to transfer these aircraft to Ukraine for combat operations without support in terms of equipment from their allies.

Originally, in the years 1989-1990, the Soviet Union supplied Bulgaria with 22 MiG-29 aircraft, including 18 single-seat MiG-29A (9.12A) and 4 two-seat MiG-29UB (9.51). On September 29, 1994, MiG-29A with tactical number 25 crashed (the base commander of Ravnec, Major Ivan Dayev, was killed), and on April 26, 2012, MiG-29UB with tactical number 19 and serial number 26333 was involved in an accident (the entire crew was killed). Interestingly, the latter aircraft was later used by the Bulgarian TEREM “Georgi Benkovski” company to develop a refurbishment project and was subsequently sold to Poland in 2015 without engines. In 2020, the then Minister of Defense, Krasimir Karakachanov, spoke in the parliament about the need to sell the old aircraft.

By the end of 2023, Lockheed Martin had produced the first two Slovak F-16C/D Block 70 aircraft (out of 14 ordered) and two for Bahrain (out of 16 ordered). On January 10 of this year, Bratislava formally received these aircraft.

Lockheed Martin has received orders for 136 F-16C/D Block 70 aircraft so far, and this number will soon increase to 148. These orders come from various countries, including Bulgaria, Slovakia, Bahrain, Jordan (12 units), Morocco (25 units), and Taiwan (66 units). Additionally, the aircraft are being offered to India (as the F-21 variant), Ukraine, the Philippines, Colombia, and Vietnam. It appears that there may soon be a breakthrough regarding the 40 F-16C/D Block 70 aircraft for Turkey, after Ankara gave the green light to Sweden within NATO.

In the production of the latest F-16s, Lockheed Martin’s subsidiary Polish-based PZL Mielec has been involved. On August 29, 2023, it announced the completion of the production of the first rear fuselage structure for this aircraft.

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