Bulgaria should receive a second batch of eight F-16 fighter jets by 2030, defence minister Dimitar Stoyanov told reporters in Sofia. The first eight aircraft are already in the country.

Stoyanov spoke after a ceremony at the Airman's Monument, where wreaths and flowers were laid for Aviation Day and the holiday of the Bulgarian Air Force.

The ministry wants the jets as soon as possible. "I hope we can speed up the process and take delivery as early as we can," Stoyanov said.

He said the new equipment also brings new challenges that must be overcome. The first surface-to-air missile systems and three-coordinate radars are expected in 2028.