Bulgaria dispondrá de nuevos cazas en 2015/Bulgaria to Have New Fighter Jets in 2015

La compra de un futuro caza para la Fuerza Aérea Búlgara estará cerrada en 2012, según fuentes del ministerio de defensa de Bulgaria. Este proyecto se ha ido retrasando hasta 10 años por falta de fondos.
Los comandantes de la Fuerza Aérea está previsto que terminen el estudios sobre sus necesidades este año 2010. En 2011, se estudiarán las ofertas presentadas para la entrada en servicio del nuevo modelo en 2015.
Bulgaria dispone actualmente de 16 MiG 29 recientemente modernizados, los cuales está previsto que estén en servicio hasta 2030, aunque está pendiente de firma, por falta de fondos, un contrato para su mantenimiento. Los MiG 21 de los que dispone Bulgaria serán retirados en 2012.
combataircraft.com
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The large-scale contract for the purchase of new fighter jets for the Bulgarian Air Force will be concluded in early 2012. The project for equipping the Bulgarian Air Force with new fighter jets – which has dragged on for about 10 years – had been delayed because of lack of funds.
The commanders of the Bulgarian Air Force are supposed to draft a vision for the development of the country's military aviation by the end of 2010.In 2011, Air Force will research the market and study offers from the respective military producers to see what fits best the needs with first deliveries of new fighter jets in 2015.
Bulgarian Air Force currently has 16 MiG 29 that can be used until 2030. The MiG 21 jets of the Bulgarian Air Force will be retired in 2012.
The Bulgarian Defense Ministry is yet to sign a contract for the post-warranty maintenance of the MiG 29, which has also been delayed for a while for lack of funds.
combataircraft.com

El Gripen podría ser el futuro caza de Bulgaria/Gripen Tipped as Winner for Bulgaria's USD 1 B Fighter Jet Contract

Bulgaria está buscando un nuevo caza para su Fuerza Aérea. Boeing con el F/A-18, Dassault con el Rafale, y Saab con el Gripen, ya han respondido a los requerimientos de información del ministerio de defensa búlgaro. Eurofighter está considerando su respuesta, y Lockheed Martin, con el F-16, lo hará a finales de Abril. Analistas del ABN Amro, dicen que el Gripen es el mejor posicionado ya que el JAS 39 es mucho mas barato que los competidores y ya ha ganado concursos similares en República Checa y Hungría. Bulgaria confía en su flota de is currently reliant on a fleet of Russian-made MiG 29 jets but is understood to be interested in replacing them with between 16 and 20 planes.
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The Bulgarian government is looking to buy a new fleet of fighter jets. Boeing with the F/A-18, Dassault Aviation with Rafale, and Saab with the Gripen, have already responded to the request for information from the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence. Eurofighter, is considering its response. Lockheed Martin, maker of the F-16, is expected to meet Bulgaria's MoD later this month. An analyst from ABN Amro, says that Gripen might have the best chance at winning the contract because its JAS 39 jet is cheaper than the Eurofighter and the manufacturer has won similar contracts in the Czech Republic and Hungary. Bulgaria is currently reliant on a fleet of Russian-made MiG 29 jets but is understood to be interested in replacing them with between 16 and 20 planes.

Bulgaria intenta reducir su pedido de C-27, y comprar F-16 junto a Rumanía/Bulgaria looks to cut C-27J, Panther helicopter deals

El ministro de defensa búlgaro está recortando programas en un esfuerzo por disminuir gastos. Entre ellos está la compra de los C-27J de transporte, la cual se quiere reducir de cinco unidades a tres. Otro programa afectado sería la compra de seis Eurocopter AS565MB Panther para la marina, que también quiere reducirse a la mitad. El tercer C-27J, debería haber sido entregado en Septiembre de 2009, pero permanece en la planta del fabricante, Alenia, en Turín, debido a la falta de pago. El contrato con Eurocopter incluye la compra de 12 AS532 Cougar de transporte, 11 de ellos han sido entregados, estando el último pendiente de entrega debido también a la falta de pago. Las entregas de los AS565 estaban programadas para principios de este año, pero el ministro de defensa ha manifestado la imposibilidad de afrontar el pago. Por otra parte Bulgaría ha manifestado su interés en una posible compra conjunta de F-16 de segunda mano junto a Rumanía y ya se está organizando una reunión entre ambos países para tratar el tema. También se busca fondos para firmar un contrato con RSK MiG que garantice la disponibilidad de los MiG-29 de la Fuerza Aérea Búlgara.
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Bulgarian defence minister Anyu Angelov is to cut several procurement programmes in an effort to save funds. The defence ministry wants to negotiate with Alenia Aeronautica to reduce the air force's C-27J Spartan transport order from five to three aircraft, and intends to halve the navy's acquisition of six Eurocopter AS565MB Panther helicopters. No agreement has been reached with Alenia Aeronautica about altering Sofia's February 2006 contract for the C-27J. Additional payments are due for Bulgaria's third aircraft, which was originally due for delivery in September 2009, but remains at the company's Turin Caselle site in Italy. Bulgaria's contract with Eurocopter is worth €358 million, and also includes 12 AS532 Cougar transport helicopters for the air force. Eleven of these had been delivered to Krumovo air base by last year, with the last still in storage at Eurocopter's Marignane plant due to unpaid bills totalling almost €89 million. AS565 deliveries had been scheduled to start early this year, but Angelov says the defence budget cannot support the €120 million procurement of six helicopters. Meanwhile, Angelov intends to discuss the possible joint procurement of fighters with Romania, which recently announced its intention to acquire secondhand Lockheed Martin F-16s. A meeting will be organised soon to discuss the matter and other subjects, such as potential future co-operation on air policing tasks.
The Bulgarian defence ministry is meanwhile seeking funds to place a follow-on support contract with RSK MiG to guarantee the near-term availability of its remaining MiG-29s, Angelov says.