Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

President Rumen Radev co-pilots F-16, praises the aircraft's capabilities

Photo: BGNES

President Rumen Radev was co-pilot in an F-16 fighter piloted by an Italian pilot. The demonstration flight from the Graf Ignatyevo airbase lasted 40 minutes. 

"The F-16 flight took me back to 2005, when General Clark, then a captain, and I flew such a fighter. At that time, I was the commander of the Graf Ignatyevo Air Base, and the NATO defence planning process was initiated after our accession," Radev said. 

He recalled that thanks to cooperation with the US, "we have mastered many modern tactics, techniques and procedures, we have mastered the full capabilities of the MiG-29 and our pilots are no longer inferior to their American counterparts".  

Radev expressed confidence that the acquisition of the F-16 Block 70 would remove a number of technical limitations for Bulgarian aviation. "In order to fully exploit the capabilities of this wonderful aircraft, we need to continue working with the pilots at Aviano Air Base," Radev added.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Aleksandar Nikoloski

Sharp reactions in Bulgaria after North Macedonia's Deputy Premier called Bulgarians "uncivilized"

The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) insists that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summons the Ambassador of the Republic of North Macedonia to explain comments made by North Macedonia’s Deputy Premier Aleksandar Nikoloski. In a TV interview he called..

published on 9/18/24 5:18 PM
Златни пясъци

Bulgaria has the fifth highest growth in overnight stays in the EU, according to Eurostat

Bulgaria is among the top 5 countries in the EU in terms of growth in the number of nights spent by visitors in the period Apr-June 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, Eurostat said.  The data show that the country is establishing itself as a..

published on 9/18/24 3:57 PM

MPs introduce 'national resort' criteria

Parliament has adopted, in first reading, amendments to the Tourism Act that regulate the criteria for the designation of National Resorts. The designation will be made by a decision of the Council of Ministers on the proposal of the Minister of..

published on 9/18/24 1:53 PM