Bulgarian Air Force

The Bulgaria Air Force, officially known as the Bulgarian Air Force, is the aerial warfare branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria. It was established on December 20, 1944, and operates under the Ministry of Defense. The primary mission of the Bulgaria Air Force is to provide national defense and support the country's foreign policy interests through air superiority, reconnaissance, and tactical airlift capabilities. The Air Force has a modest inventory of fixed-wing aircraft, including fighter jets such as MiG-29 Fulcrum and Su-25 Frogfoot, as well as transport planes that include C-27J Spartan and An-30 Clank. Helicopters like the Mi-17 and Cougar are also part of the force. The Bulgaria Air Force participates in international military exercises and contributes to NATO's collective defense efforts as a member of the alliance since 2004. It also conducts search and rescue missions, aerial surveillance, and VIP transport operations.

Key facts

Official Name	Bulgarian Air Force
Local Name	Военновъздушни сили (Voennovazdushni sili)
Country	🇧🇬 Bulgaria
World rank	#83
Active aircrafts	66 (as of 2024)
Aircrafts on order	18
Roundel

Number of active aircrafts by type

Aircraft type	Active
Helicopters	22
Training	20
Combat aircrafts	17
Transport	7

Aircrafts most used by Bulgarian air forces

Aircraft	Active	Type
MiG-29 Fulcrum	13	Soviet twin-engine fighter jet, notable in late Cold War clashes, widely exported and integral to various aerial engagements globally.
H215M / AS532 Cougar	12	French utility helicopter, notable for search and rescue missions, extensively utilized in military and civilian sectors since the 1970s.
Su-25 Frogfoot	8	Soviet close air support aircraft, prominent during Afghan War, designed for ground targets engagement under heavy fire conditions.
206 JetRanger	6	American light helicopter, well known for civilian, military, emergency medical services, and offshore oil support roles since the 1960s.
L-39 Albatros	6	Czech training jet, operational since the Cold War, deployed worldwide for various military aviation roles.
PC-9	6	Swiss trainer aircraft, renowned for its use in aerobatics, globally employed for military flight training since the 1980s.
G.222	3	Italian tactical military transporter, produced during the Cold War, notably employed by NATO and UN peacekeeping missions.
H125M / AS550 Fennec	3	French military variant helicopter, notable for service in Desert Storm and Afghanistan, widely employed for scouting and light attack roles.
Mi-17 Hip-H	3	Soviet transport helicopter, prominently deployed during Afghan War, globally used for cargo, troop transport, and rescue missions.
L-410	2	Czech twin-engine short-range transport aircraft, deployed internationally since the 70s, used in both civil and military operations.

Full inventory in 2024