SOFIA, Bulgaria (BulgarianMilitary.com), 19 September 2018, Editor: Stanislava Georgieva, Photo credit: Sgt. Charles Johnston

On 18 September, the Bulgarian Air Force MiG-29 pair and the Romania’s supersonic jet fighter MiG-21 took part in the annual joint flying training „Blue Bridge – 2018”, conducted since 2012 between the Bulgarian and Romanian Air Forces, learned BulgarianMilitary.com. During the training, the fighter aircraft successfully completed all missions as well as Air Policing one, which involved the interception and the forced landing of an airplane flying without authorization through the airspace of both countries. This happened at Graf Ignatievo Air Base, and for the fulfilling of the flying tasks goals, in the role of “airplane-intruder” was involved and military transport aircraft C-27J Spartan, part of the inventory of the Romania’s Air Forces. The training included actual reception and transmission of crew management, done by the relevant national control centers. The annual Bulgarian-Romanian flight exercise, Blue Bridge – 2018, aims to improve the coordination and the interoperability between the Air Forces of the both countries, when carrying out cross-border operations on air traffic control and airspace security. It also improves the crew preparation in order to be trained to perform accurately coordinated in time and space flight tasks, in the airspace.

Meanwhile, the multinational exercise “Saber Junction – 2018” is currently taking place at the The Joint Multinational Readiness Center – Hohenfels in Germany. The training is held in the period from 13th to 28th September, with the participation of servicemen from Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Latvia, Macedonia, USA, Ukraine and France. There, Bulgaria is represented by more than 90 servicemen of the 31st Mechanized Battalion based in Haskovo, which is part of the 2nd Mechanized Brigade, with deputy commander of the Battalion, Major Plamen Kirilov. During the training, the servicemen will improve their abilities in completing tasks during peacekeeping operations.

Read more: Eight NATO member countries will take part in the biggest exercise held in Novo Selo, Bulgaria

Read more: The Largest Training “Spring Storm 18” in the Black Sea with Bulgarian Participation

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