A technical fault in Bulgaria’s newly acquired F-16 Block 70 fighter jet triggered accusations of sabotage and foreign interference, plunging Sofia into a political crisis over national security and NATO integration, according to Euractiv.
The incident, involving one of eight jets delivered last month as part of a $1.3 billion modernisation deal, has prompted calls for a parliamentary inquiry and exposed rifts between government and military officials.
Lawmakers from across the spectrum demanded an emergency hearing with Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov and intelligence chiefs, citing concerns over “unauthorised access to classified systems” and potential espionage.
The parliamentary security committee, led by Atanas Atanasov, is pushing to investigate whether “hostile foreign actors” compromised the aircraft’s operational readiness.
The controversy intensified after ex-Prime Minister Boyko Borissov cited unverified claims by President Rumen Radev that the jet was “not flying,” urging the resignation of Air Force Commander General Nikolay Rusev. Borissov, a vocal critic of Bulgaria’s delayed NATO upgrades, framed the malfunction as symptomatic of institutional incompetence.
Zapryanov, flanked by military leaders during a visit to Graf Ignatievo Air Base, dismissed the allegations as politically motivated speculation. He confirmed the fault – a hardware issue detected by the US pilot during delivery – would be rectified by Lockheed Martin under a three-year technical support agreement.
A routine technical issue has been transformed into a domestic and foreign policy drama.
The minister’s remarks failed to quell scepticism, however, with opposition MPs highlighting Bulgaria’s vulnerability to hybrid threats. The nation, a NATO frontline state bordering Serbia and Turkey, faced escalating cyberattacks on critical infrastructure since pledging to phase out Soviet-era MiG-29s by 2025.
