Defence Minister in Brussels: The Netherlands offers training to our F-16 pilots

Caretaker Defence Minister, Dimitar Stoyanov, announced in Brussels that the Netherlands is offering training to Bulgarian F-16 pilots.

"Back in June, a letter was sent to the Dutch side asking for information on whether F-16 A and B aircraft, as they are called, Block 15, could be made available to us. The answer then was that there was no such possibility and they could not be provided to us. It was commented on at length on TV with various experts how the Netherlands was prepared to give Bulgaria F-16s in exchange for our MiG-29s. Yes, I had a meeting with the Minister of Defence of the Netherlands. What they are expressing as readiness at the moment is to help train our pilots for the F-16," the defence minister explained.

Dimitar Stoyanov added that what is expected to be done with our MiG-29s is to first provide resources to be able to conduct normal flight training by the end of 2023.

In addition, Bulgaria can train military orderlies from the Ukrainian army, the minister added.

"I declared our inclusion in the mission - according to the decision of both the National Assembly and the Council of Ministers last week. Bulgaria will participate with both personnel and equipment to train the Ukrainian armed forces. Exactly what the equipment will be, I cannot comment on at the moment, for the simple reason that it has yet to be clarified. We have not yet finished the analysis, which I hope will be completed by the end of the week, and then we have to have a decision of the Council of Ministers to provide information to the National Assembly to make an informed decision on the provision of equipment to both the training mission and Ukraine," Dimitar Stoyanov said.

What I have proposed, taking into account the military expertise, is to have four modules during the year of 15 training sessions for military orderlies. I think we have good capabilities here in the MMA and we will use these capabilities, the minister specified.