April 25 (SeeNews) - Bulgaria's government said on Wednesday it approved the allocation of up to 26 million levs ($16.2 million/13.3 million euro) to a project for ensuring the airworthiness of the ageing Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jets of the country's Air Force.
The implementation of the project will create the necessary conditions for Bulgaria's Air Force to maintain and develop capabilities for air policing, as well as to implement NATO’s collective defence mechanisms and the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy, the government said in a statement following a weekly meeting.
In March, the defence ministry said it has signed a four-year framework agreement for the maintenance of MiG-29s worth up to 21 million euro ($25.9 million) with the manufacturer of the jets, Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG. The framework agreement envisages integrated logistics support of 15 fighters - 12 MiG-29A and three trainers MiG-29 UB - for a total of 1,450 flight hours per year.
(1 euro=1.95583 levs)