List of Bulgarian Air Force Bases - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

1st Fighter Air Base

Dobroslavtsi Air Base or 1st Fighter Air Base Dobroslavtsi is an air force facility near Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. It is located to the west of the city and has for long time been its major air defence asset...

used to house a fighter squadron (flying Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is considered to belong to the Soviet third generation jet fighter category, along with similarly aged Soviet fighters such as the MiG-25 "Foxbat"...

) of the 18th Fighter Air Regiment - an integral part of the 1st Air Defence Division. Later, as 1st Fighter Air Base it was put under the newly established Air Defence Corps and its squadron was named "Knights of the Sky". Dobroslavtsi has been the main air defence asset of the capital Sofia

Sofia

Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...

right until its deactivation in 2002

2nd Fighter Air Base (Gabrovnitsa)

Gabrovnitsa Air Base

Gabrovnitsa Air Base or 2nd Fighter Air Base is a former military air force base located near Gabrovnitsa, Bulgaria.- See also :* Bulgarian Air Force* List of Bulgarian Air Force Bases* List of airports in Bulgaria...

used to house a fighter squadron (flying MiG-23s) of the 18th Fighter Air Regiment - an integral part of the 1st Air Defence Division. Later, as 2nd Fighter Air Base it was put under the newly established Air Defence Corps and its squadron was named "Wild Cat". Gabrovnitsa has been the main air defence asset of the sole Bulgarian nuclear power plant right until its deactivation.

3rd Fighter Air Base (Graf Ignatievo)

Graf Ignatievo Air Base

Graf Ignatievo Air Base , is located in the village of Graf Ignatievo, about north of the Bulgaria's second largest city of Plovdiv. It is the sole remaining fighter base of that state and houses two squadrons of jet aircrafts.-Early years:...

used to house the 19th Fighter Air Regiment (flying MiG-21s

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek by Polish pilots due to...

) of the 10th Combined Air Corps. Later the corps was transformed into Tactical Air Command and the 19th FAR was transferred to Air Defence Corps as 3rd Fighter Air Base. Today it is the sole active Fighter Air Base of the BAF with two squadrons, one of which is the MiG-29

Mikoyan MiG-29

The Mikoyan MiG-29 is a fourth-generation jet fighter aircraft designed in the Soviet Union for an air superiority role. Developed in the 1970s by the Mikoyan design bureau, it entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1983, and remains in use by the Russian Air Force as well as in many other...

"Sharks" squadron of the deactivated 5th FAB - Ravnets.

4th Fighter Air Base (Uzundzhovo)

Uzundzhovo Air Base

Uzundzhovo Air Base or 4th Fighter Air Base is a former military air force base located near Uzundzhovo, Bulgaria.- See also :* Bulgarian Air Force* List of Bulgarian Air Force Bases* List of airports in Bulgaria...

used to house a fighter air regiment and after its disbandment became a squadron of the 19th Fighter Air Regiment (HQ at Graf Ignatievo). When the 19th FAR was transformed into 3rd FAB and shifted to ADC Uzundzhovo went along as an independent unit: the 4th Fighter Air Base. Shortly afterwards it changed tasks and hats transferring to the Tactical Air Command as 21st Fighter-Bomber Air Base and finally disbanded.

5th Fighter Air Base (Ravnets)

Ravnets Air Base

Ravnets Air Base , also known as 5th Fighter Air Base, is a former military air force base located near Ravnets, Bulgaria.- See also :* Bulgarian Air Force* List of Bulgarian Air Force Bases* List of airports in Bulgaria- External links :...

housed a squadron (flying MiG-21s, later MiG-29s) of the 17th Fighter Air Regiment - an integral part of the 2nd Air Defence Division. Later, as 5th Fighter Air Base it was put under the newly established Air Defence Corps and its squadron was named "Sharks"(although unofficially, but still because of its patch and its geographical location close to the sea this is how it used to be called). The base was considered elite because of its proximity to the Turkish border and its task to protect the oil refinery near Burgas

Burgas

-History:During the rule of the Ancient Romans, near Burgas, Debeltum was established as a military colony for veterans by Vespasian. In the Middle Ages, a small fortress called Pyrgos was erected where Burgas is today and was most probably used as a watchtower...

, which is deemed of strategical importance to the country. That is the reason for the squadron to be the first (and only) transiting to the MiG-29. As the base deactivated the air unit was moved to Graf Ignatievo, where it is currently residing as 2nd Squadron of the 3rd Fighter Air Base.

6th Fighter Air Base (Balchik)

Balchik Air Base housed a squadron (flying MiG-21s) of the 17th Fighter Air Regiment - an integral part of the 2nd Air Defence Division. Later, as 6th Fighter Air Base it was put under the newly established Air Defence Corps. As the base de-activated its MiG-21bis/ UM fighters were transferred to the 26th Reconnaissance Air Base. Today the base is rarely used for para-training and sea survival courses. Currently 6th Aviation Material Preservation Base.

11th Training Air Base (Shtraklevo)

Shtraklevo Air Base housed between two and four training squadrons, flying Aero L-29

Aero L-29 Delfin

|-See also:-References:* Gunston, Bill, ed. "Aero L-29 Delfin." The Encyclopedia of World Air Power. New York: Crescent Books, 1990. ISBN 0-517-53754-0....

s as 1st Training Air Regiment of the Higher Military Aviation School. Later the regiment was transformed into 11th Training Air Base and de-activated. Currently 11th Aviation Material Preservation Base.

12th Training Air Base (Kamenets)

Kamenets (now transferred to Dolna Mitropoliya

Dolna Mitropoliya

Dolna Mitropoliya is a town in Pleven Province of northern Bulgaria, the administrative center of Dolna Mitropoliya municipality. It is about 10 km northwest of the city of Pleven. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 3,303 inhabitants....

) housed the 2nd Training Air Regiment of the Higher Military Aviation School, flying MiG-21s, L-29s and Aero L-39s. Later it was transformed into 12th Training Air Base and became part of Tactical Air Command. Today it has just been moved to its former location of Dolna Mitropolija and it flies a squadron of Pilatus PC-9

Pilatus PC-9

The Pilatus PC-9 is a single-engine, low-wing tandem-seat turboprop training aircraft manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland.-Design and development:...

Ms and a squadron of L-39s.

16th Transport Air Base (Vrazhdebna)

Vrazhdebna Air Base

Vrazhdebna Air Base or 16th Transport Air Base is a military air base, located on the site of Sofia Airport. The air base functions as a hub for the 16th Transport Squadron of the BAF.- History :...

(military area of Sofia Airport

Sofia Airport

Sofia Airport , sometimes also called Letishte Sofia-Vrazhdebna , is the main airport in Sofia, Bulgaria. Located east of central Sofia. In 2010 the number of passengers was 3.3 million...

) housed the 16th Transport Air Regiment, which transformed into 16th Transport Air Base (but popularly the base is still called "trap" - the acronym of the regiment). It houses the 1st Air Transport Squadron, flying Antonov An-26

Antonov An-26

The Antonov An-26 is a twin-engined turboprop military transport aircraft, designed and produced in the USSR from 12 March 1968.-Development:...

s, Let L-410s, and a sole Pilatus PC-12

Pilatus PC-12

The Pilatus PC-12 is a single-engine turboprop passenger and cargo aircraft manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. The main market for the aircraft is corporate transport and regional airliner operators.-Design and development:...

. The An-26s are flown to important assignments in support of Bulgarian units, contributing to missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...

, Kosovo

Kosovo

Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...

, Iraq

Iraq

Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....

and recently to Afghanistan. The squadron is to acquire the first of the ordered Alenia C-27J Spartan

Alenia C-27J

The Alenia C-27J Spartan is a medium-sized military transport aircraft. The C-27J is an advanced derivative of Alenia Aeronautica's G.222 , with the engines and systems of the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules...

s in a couple of months.

21st Fighter-Bomber Air Base (Uzundzhovo)

Uzundzhovo Air Base

(formerly 4th FAB) used to house a fighter air regiment and after its disbandment became a squadron of the 19th Fighter Air Regiment (HQ at Graf Ignatievo). When the 19th FAR was transformed into 3rd FAB and shifted to ADC Uzundzhovo went along as an independent unit: the 4th Fighter Air Base. Shortly afterwards it changed tasks and hats transferring to the Tactical Air Command as 21st Fighter-Bomber Air Base and finally disbanded.

22nd Ground Attack Air Base (Bezmer)

Bezmer Air Base

Bezmer Air Base is situated in the eastern part of the Upper Thracian Lowland, in Yambol Oblast , 10 km west of the city of Yambol and 30 km southeast of the city of Sliven, between the villages of Bezmer and Bolyarsko, and near the Sofia-Burgas railway...

(becoming a joint Bulgarian-American training facility) housed the 22nd Ground Attack Air Regiment (flying Sukhoi Su-25

Sukhoi Su-25

The Sukhoi Su-25 is a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft developed in the Soviet Union by the Sukhoi Design Bureau. It was designed to provide close air support for the Soviet Ground Forces. The first prototype made its maiden flight on 22 February 1975...

s), which was part of the 10th Combined Air Corps. When the corps transformed into Tactical Air Command the 22nd Ground Attack Air Base transitioned to the new structure. After 26th RAB - Dobrich was de-activated its squadron, flying the dedicated recon planes - the Su-22M-4/UM-3K

Sukhoi Su-17

The Sukhoi Su-17 is a Soviet attack aircraft developed from the Sukhoi Su-7 fighter-bomber. It enjoyed a long career in Soviet, later Russian, service and was widely exported to communist and Middle Eastern air forces, under names Su-20 and Su-22.-Development:Seeking to improve low-speed and...

was transferred to Bezmer where it very briefly operated as an Air Reconnaissance Flight before it disbanded a little more than a year later. Today the 22nd GAAB has two squadrons: 1st Squadron (called "Rattlesnake" or as its patch says "Crotale") and 2nd Squadron (called unofficially "The Khans", because of the traditional Bulgarian insignias of its ancient rulers it has in its patch). The base took intensively part in every joint exercise at home and abroad, held until the time of its establishment.

23rd Attack Helicopters Air Base (Stara Zagora)

Stara Zagora Air Base used to house the 13th Attack Helicopters Air Regiment (flying 44 Mil Mi-24

Mil Mi-24

The Mil Mi-24 is a large helicopter gunship and attack helicopter and low-capacity troop transport with room for 8 passengers. It is produced by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and operated since 1972 by the Soviet Air Force, its successors, and by over thirty other nations.In NATO circles the export...

, of which 6 were of the "V" version and the remainder of the "D") of the 10th Combined Air Corps. As The corps transformed into Tactical Air Command, so did the regiment, becoming an air base. In the late nineties it disbanded, sending one squadron to the 24th Helicopter Air Base and disestablishing the other one.

24th Helicopter Air Base (Krumovo)

Krumovo Air Base (military area of Plovdiv Airport

Plovdiv International Airport

Plovdiv Airport is the airport of the second largest city in Bulgaria, Plovdiv. Often referred to as Plovdiv Krumovo Airport, a small village located 12 km south-east away from the city on the main highway Plovdiv-Asenovgrad....

) used to house the 44th Helicopter Air Regiment (flying Mil Mi-17

Mil Mi-17

The Mil Mi-17 is a Russian helicopter currently in production at two factories in Kazan and Ulan-Ude...

s, Mil Mi-8

Mil Mi-8

The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....

s and Mil Mi-2

Mil Mi-2

The Mil Mi-2 is a small, lightly armored transport helicopter that could also provide close air support when armed with 57 mm rockets and a 23 mm cannon.-Design and development:...

s) of the 10th Combined Air Corps. According to the major restructuring plans it became an air base and when 23rd AHAB disbanded one of its squadrons became 2nd Attack Helicopter Squadron of the 24th HAB. The 1st Helicopter Squadron flies the Mi-17s and the 2nd Helicopter Squadron flies the 12 Eurocopter AS 532AL Cougars delivered from 2006 to 2009. The Bell 206B-3

Bell 206

The Bell 206 is a family of two-bladed, single- or twin-engine helicopters, manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel, Quebec plant. Originally developed as the Bell YOH-4 for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter program, the 206 failed to be selected...

s that were acquired at the end of the nineties form an Independent Helicopter Training Flight. 24th Helicopter Air Base is also the unit of the armed forces in constant readiness to react upon natural or industrial disasters, providing evacuation and/ or providing emergency response units with air mobility. CSAR activities are also being developed. For that reason a specialised unit is based at Krumovo, coprised of PARA-SAR/CSAR operators, who are exclusively former servicemen of the 68th Special Forces Brigade, based nearby. Emphasys in their training is put on parachute jumps, alpine skills and MEDEVAC knowledge. A major boost in that kind of operations will occure when the last 4 AS.532AL arrive. Those will be dedicated CSAR machines, equipped with top-notch sensors and gear.

25th Fighter-Bomber Air Base (Cheshnegirovo)

Cheshnegirovo Air Base/Sadovo

Sadovo

Sadovo is a small town in the Plovdiv Province, central Bulgaria. The population is 2 551. Most of the people are employed in agriculture, which due to the fertile soils and the high levels of mechanisation is efficient and highly productive. Major crops are apples, tomatoes, peppers, wheat,...

used to house the 25th Fighter-Bomber Air Regiment (flying MiG-23BN/UBs) of the 10th Combined Air Corps. According to the major restructuring plans it became the first regiment to convert to an air base structure. Briefly it housed the entire Bulgarian MiG-23 fleet after which it disbanded.

26th Reconnaissance Air Base (Dobrich)

Dobrich Air Base

26th Reconnaissance Air Base Dobrich is a former Bulgarian military installation near the City of Dobrich in the northeastern part of the country...

used to house the 26th Reconnaissance Air Regiment (flying MiG-21Rs/ PFM-Rs/ bis, Su-22M-4/ UM-3Ks and for some time the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25R/U

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 is a supersonic interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft that was among the fastest military aircraft to enter service. Designed by the Soviet Union's Mikoyan-Gurevich bureau the first prototype flew in 1964 with entry into service in 1970...

of the 10th Combined Air Corps. Later it became an air base with two squadrons. When Balchik AB de-activated its MiG-21bis/ UMs were transferred to the 26th RAB. After it also ceased operating, its Su-22s were sent to the 22nd GAAB at Bezmer.

Bozhurishte Airfield

For a long time Bozhurishte Airfield has been the most important asset and a symbol of the Bulgarian aviation, housing military and civil flying activity, as well as aircraft production. A very inspiring sign stood over the entrance of the airfield during the twenties and thirties saying: "At that field we learn how to sacrifice ourselves for King and Motherland!" During the Second World War it has been the major Bulgarian Air Troops base and housed a number of air combat units in addition to the Air Troops Headquarters. At a time the greater number of air force units and aircraft were concentrated at Bozhurishte. After the introduction of jet combat aircraft the airfield became a major command and maintenance base for the missile air defence and early warning and control units of the country, the most important resident units being the 1st Missile Air Defence Brigade and the 1st Radio-Technical Brigade of the 1st AD Division. It is no longer a significant military facility and the future plans for it are not known. In sharp contrast with the legendary past of the airfield today it is a reason for a huge scandal, which is rapidly gaining momentum. According to a deal struck by the Ministry of Defence the airfield will most probably be destroyed to give space for a business center.

Plovdiv

The city of Plovdiv

Plovdiv

Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...

used to house the headquarters of the Tactical Aviation Command and is still a place of significance as it houses a number of logistical and operational support units of the Bulgarian Air Force. The 2nd Missile Air Defence Brigade is also based in the vicinities of the city and is responsible for the air defence of the central part of the country.

Bourgas

The city of Bourgas is the place around which the 3rd Missile Air Defence Brigade of the Bulgarian Air Force is deployed, providing counter air protection of the country's eastern area, the navy and the Bourgas Oil Refinery.

63rd Independent Maritime Helicopter Air Base at Varna (Chaika)

The base at Varna

Varna

Varna is the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and third-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv, with a population of 334,870 inhabitants according to Census 2011...

houses the Independent Maritime Helicopter Squadron - the Bulgarian Fleet Air Arm. Currently it flies Mil Mi-14

Mil Mi-14

|-See also:-External links:******...

s and is awaiting AS.565MBs which are on order.

External links

Ministry of Defence of Bulgaria
Air Group 2000 - Bulgaria's leading publishing enterprise on defence issues
Bulgarian Air Force Order of Battle at Scramble

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.