The Poseidon plane that landed in Varna is a surveillance aircraft and cannot hit targets, defence minister Dimitar Stoyanov told reporters. It will fly missions for as long as needed, and the information it collects goes to NATO.
Stoyanov said the Poseidon's presence in Varna is a joint decision by Bulgaria and NATO. The plane belongs to the alliance and should not be linked to any one country, he said.
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Bulgaria has sent two letters. In the first, dated 26 August, it asked for surveillance aircraft and other means to strengthen radio communications coverage. The second, dated 13 October, followed an incident involving ships off the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.
Allies replied quickly. They offered and sent aircraft that can carry out aerial surveillance. The minister said the planes are already on patrol and the results of the requests are visible.
Bulgaria also uses two types of drones. One belongs to the Special Operations Command, the other to the Land Forces. They carry out aerial surveillance and watch Bulgaria's territorial waters, with the areas changing. A third drone system is expected by the end of the week.
Two more "teams" are also at work, and the information from them is quite useful, the minister said. He expects other decisions from allies but is happy with what has been done so far.
"We are adding to our capabilities every day, but they cannot be acquired in two days," Stoyanov said. For that reason, he hopes the government will give defence 2.3% of GDP under the 2027 plan.
He said the case shows something more: "We see how, when one ally lacks capabilities, they are filled in the fastest way when requested." The Ekran system, which tracks vessels at sea, also needs an upgrade.