The renewal of European Air Forces’ combat aircraft fleets continues at an accelerated pace. This has been confirmed by Lockheed Martin with the announcement of the completion of production of the F-16 Block 70 fighters intended to form the core of the Slovak and Bulgarian Air Forces, both of which selected the most advanced version of the “Viper” to replace their aging Soviet-era Mikoyan MiG-29s.
In detail, the U.S. company responsible for producing the new F-16s in their Block 70/72 variant—also designated as the F-16V—confirmed that: “The aircraft were produced at Lockheed Martin’s facilities in Greenville, South Carolina, and completed final DD250 acceptance through the U.S. government’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.”
Adding to this, Mike Shoemaker, Vice President and General Manager of Lockheed Martin’s Integrated Fighter Group, stated: “This milestone represents the talent and dedication of the joint government, military, and industry teams. With the full F-16 Block 70 fleets now produced, both nations are moving from planning next-generation airpower to demonstrating it in daily operations. This progress enhances NATO’s collective readiness and provides commanders with a reliable, interoperable 21st-century security capability across the Alliance.”
Replacing the “Fulcrum”
The new F-16 Block 70 fighters of the Slovak and Bulgarian Air Forces share the common objective of renewing their respective combat aviation capabilities, serving as replacements for the aging Soviet-era Mikoyan MiG-29 “Fulcrum.” In Slovakia’s case, thirteen aircraft of this type were transferred to the Ukrainian Air Force, nine of which were delivered by land while four were flown by Ukrainian pilots, with the complete transfer finalized in April 2023.
Slovakia, for its part, is in the process of receiving a total of fourteen (14) F-16 Block 70 fighters, with the delivery schedule having begun in July 2024. According to official reports from early April, the Slovak Air Force has already received five aircraft.
During the reception and induction ceremony of the Vipers, the Chief of the General Staff of the Slovak Armed Forces, General Daniel Zmeko, provided updates on the training and qualification process for new pilots, stating: “We currently have a total of seven trained pilots who are participating in test flights and in the certification of the delivered aircraft. Another six pilots will complete their training this year in the United States and, together with already qualified ground personnel, will begin carrying out the planned air training tasks and operational missions.”
Bulgaria, meanwhile, is in the process of incorporating a total of sixteen (16) F-16 Block 70 fighters, acquired in two batches of eight aircraft each under agreements signed with Lockheed Martin in 2019 and 2022, respectively. The rollout and arrival of the aircraft on Bulgarian soil took place this year, with the first two units arriving in April and June: a single-seat aircraft bearing the serial number “313” and a two-seat aircraft with the serial number “301″.
However, as officially reported, one of the aircraft experienced issues. This concerns the F-16D received in April, which has delayed the Air Force’s plans to achieve Initial Operational Capability with the new platform by the end of the year. At present, no further details have been disclosed regarding the aircraft’s condition, but it has been confirmed that Lockheed Martin has already initiated the necessary work and evaluations to return the Viper to operational status as soon as possible.
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