2024-07-16 04:48:07
Acting Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov will attend the opening ceremony of the joint flight training “Thracian Viper 2024”, announced the press center of the Ministry of Defense (MoD).
The ceremony will be held at the 22nd airbase in the village of Bezmer. It was attended by Deputy Chief of Defense Lieutenant General Tsanko Stoykov, Commander of the Air Force Major General Dimitar Petrov, Commander of the 31st Fighter Wing of the US Air Force in Aviano Brigadier General Tad Clark and other official guests.
The joint flight exercise takes place from July 11 to August 9, 2024. It involves forces and assets from the formations of the Air Force (Air Force) in Bezmer, Krumovo and Graf Ignatievo, the Ground Forces, the Air Force of the Hellenic Republic, the Air Force of Romania, The US Air Force in Europe and the Multinational Battlegroup in Bulgaria with the framework country of Italy.
The Ministry of Defense emphasized that the Air Force of Bulgaria is participating with Su-25 and MiG-29 aircraft, as well as with the “2K12” Kub (SA-6) air defense system from the areas for permanent deployment. In one episode of the exercise, helicopters will also take part AS-532AL Cougar and Mi-24. The ground troops will participate with the ZKR 9K33 “Osa” (SA-8) from the areas for permanent deployment.
USAF Europe will deploy six F-16s from the 31st Fighter Wing from Aviano Air Force Base, Italy, to provide deployment for the visiting formation. Up to three C-130 transport aircraft will fly and up to 200 military personnel will be stationed at Bezmer Airport, the MoD added.
They specified that the American crews will carry out their tasks of direct aviation support with inert munitions at the “Elena” Air Force Training Ground. The guidance will be carried out by forward guidance officers from the Multinational Battle Group in Bulgaria with the framework country of Italy.
The Air Force of Greece will participate with up to four F-16 aircraft, and that of Romania with up to two F-16 aircraft. All of them will operate in the airspace of Bulgaria, without landing on the territory of the country.
Reconnaissance flights as well as close air support missions by US Air Force crews will be conducted on July 18 and 19.
The Ministry of Defense added that from July 22 to August 2, participants from the Air Force, Ground Forces, Greece, Romania and the United States will perform air combat with medium-altitude fighters, defensive and offensive air operations, visual aerial reconnaissance, tactical interceptions in mixed groups, simulated strikes by groups with different tactical purposes on objects defended by an air defense group (including fighter and anti-aircraft missile cover). Tasks on direct aviation support, simple and complex types of maneuvers for working on ground targets, searching and delivering conditional strikes on ground objects, evacuating an injured pilot will also be practiced, the Ministry of Defense specified.
About a month ago, the multinational exercise “Thracian Warrior – 24” took place at the “Koren” training ground. More than 2,000 military personnel and about 700 units of equipment participated in the training at the “Novo Selo” and “Koren” ranges. Also on the field were formations from Italy, Albania, Greece, the Republic of North Macedonia, Croatia, Montenegro and the USA.