Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) offered its FA-50 Golden Eagle light combat aircraft to Bulgaria.
According to Novinite, a Bulgarian news agency, KAI presented the FA-50 as a replacement for the Bulgarian Air Force’s outdated L-39, MiG-29, and Su-25 aircraft fleets, presenting it as a versatile solution for both training and combat roles.
The FA-50 Fighting Eagle is a lightweight multi-role fighter jet developed by Korea Aerospace Industries. It is based on the T-50 Golden Eagle training jet and can achieve supersonic speeds of Mach 1.5. The aircraft is equipped with a 20mm cannon and a versatile array of air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, rockets, guided bombs, and equipment for reconnaissance and electronic warfare.
In September 2022, Poland decided to acquire 48 KAI FA-50 aircraft. At the time, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak emphasized that many of the FA-50’s systems were based on those of the F-16, meaning that Poland had the capability to service the new jets. In addition, pilots who flew the FA-50 can transition to the F-16 in “a few hours”.
The Bulgarian Air Force likely considers this capability important as it intends to add the F-16 to its fleet by 2025. The FA-50’s ability to work with NATO standards, such as exchanging real-time data through the Link-16 system and incorporating Western-made weapons, would facilitate seamless integration into collective NATO operations.