The Committee on Economic Policy, Investment and Industry approved on first reading a bill to ratify Amendment No. 1 to the Framework Agreement between the Ministry of Economy and the American company Lockheed Martin Global. The amendment relates to the Industrial Cooperation Program surrounding the F-16 Block 70 fighter jets — the government submitted the bill to parliament on September 11.

The amendment builds on what has been achieved so far under the program and opens the way for new opportunities for Bulgaria to maintain its F-16 Block 70 aircraft. Specifically, it involves building the capacity to repair the generators used in these fighter jets — highly technical work currently handled by only a handful of countries in the European Union. If the project moves forward, Bulgaria will be able to maintain the F-16 Block 70 generators independently throughout their entire life cycle, without relying on foreign logistics, according to the bill's sponsors. In other words, instead of sending the parts abroad for repair, the country will be able to handle the work domestically.

The bill was presented to lawmakers by Deputy Minister of Economy, Investment and Industry Mihaela Karadimova. She explained that the agreement itself dates back to July 2019 and includes six separate projects. According to her, Projects 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 are already being successfully implemented in the country, with the first three carried out by the state-owned company Avionams AD.

Karadimova also explained why an amendment to the agreement was necessary in the first place. Project 4, which envisioned a logistics support and supply chain management system for the F-16 Block 70, does not meet the actual needs of the Ministry of Defense. As a result, it has been dropped by decision of the Council of Ministers and replaced with a new project — one focused on building generator repair capabilities. This too will be undertaken by Avionams.

The deputy minister listed several benefits of the new project: expanding the capacity already built at Avionams AD, cost savings, technology and know-how transfer, an expanded company portfolio, new jobs and high added value. Karadimova noted that until now, such repair capabilities within the European Union have existed only in Poland.

She added that the project guarantees independent national logistics support for the fighter jets' generators throughout their entire 30-year life cycle. "The expected effect is greater independence, faster response times and higher efficiency compared with sending the equipment to another country for servicing, as well as improved supply security," Karadimova said.

In late May, the government approved an amendment to a project under the Framework Agreement. It authorized the Minister of Economy and Industry and the Minister of Innovation and Growth to sign Amendment No. 1, on condition that it undergo subsequent ratification. Bulgaria signed the document in early June, during the international exhibition Hemus 2026 in Plovdiv.

The original Framework Agreement between Bulgaria and Lockheed Martin Global was signed back in 2019 — on July 11 in Washington and the following day, July 12, in Sofia.

A blitz question-and-answer session with Minister of Economy, Investment and Industry Alexander Pulev, scheduled for today, did not take place because the minister had an urgent commitment. Deputy Minister Karadimova apologized to lawmakers on his behalf for his absence.