Russian drones are attacking ships in the Black Sea, but only Romania is shooting them down. Why isn't Bulgaria deploying its F-16 fighter jets?

Sunday, Nov 8, 2026

HotNews

Romania’s used F-16s are down drones over the Black Sea, contrasting with Bulgaria’s expensive new jets.

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[This is an automatically generated summary, for reference only]

Romania is already using second-hand F-16 aircraft to shoot down drones over the Black Sea, contrasting with Bulgaria, which spent over twice as much for 16 new F-16s but cannot yet use them for air defense and is seeking NATO assistance. The Romanian F-16 program is being used as a benchmark. Romania purchased 49 used F-16s for about one billion euros, while Bulgaria paid over $2.5 billion for 16 new F-16 Block 70s, receiving only half and not yet ready for combat missions. The article also discusses decisions regarding Romanian pilots and the military’s future in 2027.

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