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Gen. Sabi Sabev STAFF: BNT
“Major General Dimitar Petrov’s statement was inadequate, and his arguments were unfounded. The first contract we have ensures the preparation of 12 pilots for 8 F-16 aircraft. In any case, there will be those who will be trained as instructors. There will also be pilots. trained for the next 8 fighters. So I don’t see the issue of training as a problem. ” This was stated by the first national military representative of Bulgaria at NATO headquarters in Brussels and a member of the Euro-Atlantic Security Center Gen. Sabi Sabev, quoted by Factor.
Today, Air Force Commander Major General Dimitar Petrov reversed the deal with American F-16 fighters and declared that we will not have enough trained pilots and a renovated base.
“We can even negotiate with the United States for the American instructors to come to Bulgaria and train the pilots at our base, if necessary. On the infrastructure issue, the reconstruction of the Graf Ignatievo airport has not yet started, but the government has provided 300 million “. BGN for this purpose. In other words, the infrastructure will be prepared for aircraft number 16, “he added.
According to him, the first 12 pilots trained in the United States will arrive in Bulgaria fully prepared. “The new chief of the Air Force must more quickly mobilize the full potential to cope with the new aircraft,” he explained.
“Unfortunately, I see in the words of Major General Dimitar Petrov rather a desire to protect the operation of the MiG-29 until 2030. This means investing more financial resources in the maintenance of aircraft that are about to be discontinued. – At the end of 2025-2026, they must be disarmed, since by that time we will already have an operational F-16 squad. Therefore, all personnel must be mobilized and state resources used in the most efficient and operational way possible ” General Sabev said.
“I do not believe that our NATO allies will draw cardinal conclusions from such a statement. They will accept it more as an unfounded concern on the part of the new head of the Air Force, since all measures have been taken and rearmament will take place with this. squad. in the smoothest way possible, “commented Gen. Sabev.
“After the contract was signed, President Rumen Radev also insisted on providing the full package of capabilities for the new fighters. He would find more match between Major General Dimitar Petrov’s statement with the BSP post, that he wanted the prime minister and the defense minister were called to parliament to explain why a letter was sent requesting information and research opportunities for the purchase of the latter. 8 aircraft. There is a slight coincidence, but I do not think that Major General Petrov’s opinion is deliberately expressed in support of the BSP, to the extent that the army is depoliticized. The F-16 is a very good aircraft and I think President Rumen Radev understands it very well as an expert in this field. He himself has expressed before that excessive detention The MiG-29 does not interest him from an economic point of view, because the planes only bear maintenance costs, ”said General Sabi Sabev.
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