The 22nd air base in the village of Bezmer marked its 75th anniversary today with a ceremony, awards and a flying display. Airmen also marked 40 years since the Su-25 attack jets first arrived in Bulgaria.

Base commander colonel Milen Dimitrov thanked veterans and current staff. He said veterans had laid the foundations and built the unit's reputation, while today's service members carry on with skill, discipline and a strong sense of duty.

"The true strength of an air base isn't measured by its hardware, but by its people — their training, character and trust in each other," colonel Dimitrov said.

Service members and civilian staff received awards under orders from the air force command and the base. The ceremony drew air force command representatives, local officials, commanders from other air bases and army units, and veterans.

Before the attack jets took off, a pair of F-16s from the 3rd air base in Graf Ignatievo flew over the airfield to salute the base on its anniversary. The two Su-25s then flew at very low altitude, simulating an attack on an air target and strikes on ground targets, before the display ended with a formation flypast over the runway.

The base traces its roots to October 5, 1951, when the 22nd fighter air regiment was formed at the Graf Ignatievo airfield. In October 1955 the regiment moved to Bezmer, and on September 15, 1986 the first four Su-25 jets landed there.

Over the decades the regiment's role has shifted — from fighter to bomber, and later to attack aircraft.