European Centre for Counterterrorism and Intelligence Studies, Germany & Netherlands – ECCI
MPs in Sofia suspect sabotage of first Bulgarian F-16
euractiv – The aircraft, part of Bulgaria’s strategic shift towards NATO-standard defence capabilities, arrived from the US only a month ago.
SOFIA – A technical malfunction in Bulgaria’s newly delivered F-16 Block 70 fighter jet has sparked political tremors in Sofia, fuelling allegations of sabotage and prompting calls for a parliamentary investigation into potential foreign interference – including from foreign intelligence structures.
The aircraft, part of Bulgaria’s strategic shift towards NATO-standard defence capabilities, arrived from the United States only a month ago. Its problem has been seized upon by political actors, igniting institutional controversy over the aircraft’s operational status and the security of sensitive military systems.
Lawmakers have requested a formal hearing with Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov and the heads of both military and civilian intelligence services. The parliamentary Committee for the Security Services, chaired by Atanas Atanasov, is calling for an inquiry into “possible unauthorized access by hostile entities to classified information” and “potential sabotage targeting the formal integration of the aircraft into the Bulgarian Air Force.”
The controversy escalated following comments by former Prime Minister and GERB party leader Boyko Borissov, who cited President Rumen Radev’s alleged off-the-record remarks that the jet was “not flying”. Borissov further demanded the resignation of Air Force Commander general Nikolay Rusev, known for his close ties to Radev, if the claims proved valid.
In an attempt to de-escalate tensions, Minister Zapryanov categorically denied any suggestion of sabotage. “There is no sabotage of the F-16. Let’s stop the political attacks. Bulgarian pilots and crews are professionals,” he stated after meeting with airbase personnel on Friday, flanked by Rusev and Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov.
Zapryanov clarified that the issue is a hardware malfunction identified by the American pilot during delivery. The fault, he said, will be addressed directly by Lockheed Martin, and the aircraft will remain under the technical oversight of U.S. specialists for the next three years.
“A routine technical issue has been transformed into a domestic and foreign policy drama,” Zapryanov added, suggesting that political instrumentalisation of the incident risks undermining public trust in Bulgaria’s Euro-Atlantic military transition.
Although no evidence of foreign sabotage has yet emerged, the episode highlights the growing sensitivity around defence procurement and cybersecurity within the NATO frontier state, especially in light of ongoing regional instability and increasing hybrid pressure from Russia.
European Centre for Counterterrorism and Intelligence Studies, Germany & Netherlands – ECCI
