Bulgarian Air Force

Bulgarian Air Force
  • Военновъздушни сили
  • Voennovazdushni sili
Emblem of the Bulgarian Air Force
Founded20 April 1906 (1906-04-20)
Country Bulgaria
TypeAir force
RoleAerial warfare
Size8,500 active personnel[1]
126 aircraft
Part ofBulgarian Armed Forces
Anniversaries16 October
Websiteaf.armf.bg/bg/
Commanders
CommanderMajor General Dimitar Petrov
Deputy CommanderBrigadier General Petyo Mirchev[2]
Chief of StaffColonel Dimitar Yankov Georgiev[2]
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air ForceCMSGT Rumen Petrov[2]
Insignia
Roundel
Aircraft flown
AttackSu-25
FighterMiG-29
HelicopterMil Mi-17, Eurocopter AS 532 Cougar, Bell 206
Attack helicopterMil Mi-24
ReconnaissanceAn-30
TrainerL-39, PC-9, Zlín Z 42
TransportL-410, C-27J Spartan, Pilatus PC-12, An-26, An-2

The Bulgarian Air Force (Bulgarian: Военновъздушни сили, romanizedVoennovazdushni sili) is one of the three branches of the Military of Bulgaria, the other two being the Bulgarian Navy and Bulgarian land forces. Its mission is to guard and protect the sovereignty of Bulgarian airspace, and jointly with the other branches, to protect territorial integrity.[2] The Bulgarian Air Force is one of the oldest air forces in Europe and the world. In recent times it has been actively taking part in numerous NATO missions and exercises in Europe.

The current commanding officer of the Bulgarian Air Force is Major General Dimitar Hristov Petrov.[3]

  1. ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (15 February 2023). The Military Balance 2023. London: Routledge. p. 77. ISBN 9781032508955.
  2. ^ a b c d "Air Force - Missions and tasks". Bulgarian Ministry of Defense. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Major General Dimitar Hristov Petrov - Commander of the Bulgarian Air Force" (PDF). Bulgarian Ministry of Defense. Retrieved 10 January 2022.