| Current Title: | Bulgarski Voennovazdushni Sili |
| Title in English: | Bulgarian Air Force |
| Abbreviation: | BVVS |
Narrative Summary:
Air Force History
| Key Dates: | ||
| 20 April 1906* | Aeronautical Platoon established to operate balloons | |
| July 1912* | First Army pilots return from training in France | |
| 13 August 1912* | Simeon Petrov becomes first Bulgar to pilot an aeroplane over Bulgaria | |
| 16 October 1912* | First combat operations by Bulgarian aircraft | |
| 2 November 1912* | First Aeroplane Platoon retrospectively authorised | |
| 27 September 1915* | First fighter aircraft (3 x Fokker E.III) delivered | |
| 2 October 1915* | Bulgaria enters First World War on the side of Germany | |
| 21 April 1916 | First aerial combat using aircraft mounted guns | |
| 30 September 1916 | Fokker E.III shoots down intruder near Sofia – first aerial victory | |
| 2 April 1917 | Albatros C.III shot down – first combat loss to enemy fighters | |
| 29 September 1918 | Bulgaria surrenders to the Allies | |
| 27 November 1919 | Treaty of Neuilly bans all Bulgarian aviation | |
| late December 1920 | Disbanding of Army Aviation Corps completed | |
| 25 January 1921 | Gendarmerie Air Squadron established | |
| 30 March 1922 | Gendarmerie Air Squadron disbanded | |
| 1923 | Bulgarian civil aviation approved by International Aviation Convention | |
| 1927 | Three clandestine military air squadrons established | |
| 1930 | Aeronautical Regiment formed to control military aviation | |
| 28 July 1934 | Royal Bulgarian Air Force (Vazdushni Voyski = Air Army) established | |
| 1937 | Neuilly Treaty restrictions abandoned – rapid expansion of Air Force initiated | |
| 30 May 1940 | Air Force becomes an independent armed service | |
| 2 March 1941 | German 12th Army and Fliegerkorps VIII move into Bulgaria | |
| late April 1941 | Air units support Bulgarian army occupation of Macedonia | |
| 1 August 1943 | First major Allied air raid to pass through Bulgarian airpace | |
| 14 November 1943 | First major Allied air raid on Sofia | |
| 26 August 1944 | Bulgaria declares neutrality in Russo-German war | |
| 9 September 1944 | Air operations against German forces begin | |
| 2 December 1944 | Combat air operations over Yugoslavia cease | |
| 1945 | First Soviet aircraft delivered | |
| 1953 | First jet fighters delivered | |
| 1961 | Bulgarian Air Force renamed PVOiVVS (Air Defence and Air Force) | |
| 1992 | Bulgarian Air Force renamed Bulgarski Voennovazdushni Sili (BVVS) | |
| Sept 1994 | Regiment-based organisation replaced by one centred on air bases | |
* Julian calendar dates (13 days behind Gregorian calendar).
Current Status:
A major rationalisation of the Air Force, called Plan 2004, is currently being enacted, which will reduce it’s size from 465 aircraft to 218. Aircraft serviceability continues to be a serious problem, with many aircraft grounded.
Future Plans:
Air bases at Kamenetz, Bezmier and Graf Ignatievo to be upgraded with funding from NATO.
Six MiG-29s are receiving an avionics upgrade by a MiG/Thales team to make them NATO compatible.
Eight Su-25s are to receive a similar upgrade to make them compatible with NATO.
A contract for 12-20 new fighters is expected to be placed 2005-2007.
National Insignia:
Current — Historical
Aircraft Serial Numbering System(s):
1912-1915
1915-1919
1925-1937
1937-1947
1947-Present
Unit/Base Aircraft Code System(s):
Coding system not used
Aircraft Designation System(s):
To be added.
Current Aircraft Inventory:
Table of Current Service Aircraft
All-Time Aircraft Used List:
Alphabetical Order — Chronological Order
Aircraft NOT Used:
False reports of aircraft on order or in service
Main Headquarters:
To be added.
Current Organisational Structure:
On 1st June 2003 the Bulgarian armed forces introduced some organisational changes. The BVVS is now organised into an Air Defence Command and a Tactical Air Command.
Current Order of Battle:
Table of Current Order of Battle
Historical Orders of Battle:
List of Historical Orders of Battle
All-Time Flying Units List:
List of Bulgarian AF Units
Current Air Bases:
Table of Current Air Bases
All-Time Air Bases Used List:
Military Air Bases Listing
Books:
‘Air Power of the Kingdom of Bulgaria – Parts I/II/III/IV’
by Dimitar Nedialkov
Published by Fark Ood, Sofia, 2001 ISBN: –
* Dual English-Bulgarian text history of the Bulgarian AF 1906-1945.
‘Aerospace Encyclopedia of World Air Forces’ [Order this book from Amazon UK]
by David Willis
Published by Aerospace Publishing, 1999 ISBN: 1 86184 045 4
* Two-and-a-half page entry on Bulgaria.
‘European Air Arms 2002’ [Order this book from Amazon UK]
by Ian Carroll
Published by Mach III Plus, July 2002 ISBN: 1 898129 73 8
* Brief Order of Battle and current aircraft serials listing.
Magazines:
World Air Power Journal, Volume 36 [Order this book from Amazon UK]
Published by Aerospace Publishing Ltd, spring 1999 ISBN: 1 86184 027 6
* Includes very detailed 15-page feature on current Bulgarian military aviation.
Scramble, 237 – February 1999
Published by Dutch Aviation Society
Videos:
None known.
Websites:
Bulgarian Military Aviation
(Bulgarian aviation history, aircraft, markings, aces etc. Some good photos.)
Bulgarian Air Force
(Website with details of aircraft types used and excellent photos)
Bulgarian Military Page
(Ground and Air Force information)
