Bulgaria to Give Jet Fighter Repair Contract to Russia or Belarus

Sofia, Bulgaria -

The Bulgarian Ministry of Defense plans to repair 14 SU-25 fighter planes.

According to Capital.bg, the price of this repair will be 41 million leva and that the only companies on the auction are Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation and the Belarusian 558 Air Craft Repair Plant. The operation was announced on the Defense Ministry’s site. Capital’s article states that the announced sum doesn’t account for the added value tax and that the real price would be 49 million leva.

After signing the contract, the chosen of the aircraft repair companies will have to repair 4 planes (2 fighters and 2 training jets) for the first 3 years and then 2 for the final year of the contract. The companies will have to pitch their deals on September 10, 2018, and the winner will be announced two days later. 

The fighter jet capabilities of Bulgaria have been a big point of tension and debate. Last year, Bulgarian jet pilots refused to get in their MiG-29s in protest to the outdated military technology.

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