Structure of the Bulgarian Air Force

The structure of the Bulgarian Air Force is detailed below.

Air Forces and Air Defence, c.1988

The headquarters of the Air Forces and Air Defence were in Sofia. The Air Force had grown from six FB, twelve fighter-interceptor, and three reconnaissance squadrons circa 1981.
Air Forces and Air Defence Headquarters

Air Force and Air Defence Headquarters, Sofia
* Electronic Warfare Section
** 89th Independent Electronic Warfare Battalion type "S"
* Central Command Post, in Boyana, Sofia
* Reserve Command Post, in Bozhurishte
* Deputy Chief of Staff of the AF and ADF, Chief of the Aerotechnical Engineer Service of the Air Force and Air Defence
** Scientific Research Base for Exploitation and Repair of Aviation Materiel
* Deputy Chief of Staff of the AF and ADF in Charge of Mechanization and Automatization of the Command and Control of the Troops
** Military Computing Center
* Deputy Chief of Staff of the AF and ADF in Charge of Regulation of Air Activities
** Integrated Joint Air Traffic Control Service
* 16th Transport Air Regiment, Vrazhdebna Airfield
** 1/16th Transport Air Squadron, flying An-24, An-26
** 2/16th Transport Air Squadron, flying Let L-410UVP-E, An-30, An-2
** Special Service Flight, flying 2 Tupolev Tu-134 and 1 Yak-40

When the 10th Mixed Air Corps was formed in 1961 the 16th Transport Air Regiment was part of it, but later it was subordinated directly to the Air Force and Air Defence Forces Headquarters, as the regiment was planned to form Directorate of the Military Transport and Specialised Aviation during wartime, when the national airline BGA Balkan would have been mobilized.
The two air defence divisions were coordinated by an Air Defence Command Post in Sofia. The separation line between their areas of responsibility ran along a line from Ruse through Nova Zagora to Svilengrad.

1st Air Defence Division

1st Air Defence Division, in Bozhurishte, protecting the country's Southwest

* Dobroslavtsi Airfield
** 18th Fighter Air Regiment
*** 1/18th Fighter Air Squadron, Dobroslavtsi Air Base, flying MiG-23MF/ML/MLA/UB
**? Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
**18th Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
* Gabrovnitsa Airfield
** 18th Fighter Air Regiment
*** 2/18th Fighter Air Squadron, Gabrovnitsa Air Base, flying MiG-23MLD/UB
** ? Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
**11th Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
* 1st Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade, Bozhurishte, protecting Sofia and Western Bulgaria
** Brigade Command and Staff
** Group of Divisions S-200 - S-200 "Vega" SAM
*** 1st Fire Division S-200
*** 2nd Fire Division S-200
*** Technical Division
** Missile Air Defence Division - S-300PMU SAM
** Missile Air Defence Division - S-75M "Volhov" SAM
** Missile Air Defence Division - S-75M "Volhov" SAM
** Missile Air Defence Division - S-75M "Volhov" SAM
** Missile Air Defence Division - S-75M "Volhov" SAM
** Missile Air Defence Division - S-125 "Neva" SAM
** Missile Air Defence Division - S-125 "Neva" SAM
** Missile Air Defence Division - S-125 "Neva" SAM
** Missile Air Defence Division - S-125 "Neva" SAM
** Technical Division
** Technical Division
* 2nd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade, in Plovdiv, protecting central Bulgaria
** Brigade Command and Staff
** Missile Air Defence Division - S-75M "Volhov" SAM
** Missile Air Defence Division - S-75M "Volhov" SAM
** Missile Air Defence Division - S-75M "Volhov" SAM
** Missile Air Defence Division - SA-75 "Dvina" SAM, converted to S-75M "Volhov" SAM in 1990.
** Missile Air Defence Division - S-125 "Neva" SAM
** Missile Air Defence Division - S-125 "Neva" SAM
** Technical Division
* 1st Radio-technical Brigade, in Bozhurishte

2nd Air Defence Division

2nd Air Defence Division, in Yambol, protecting the country's Southeast

* Ravnets Airfield
** 17th Fighter Air Regiment
*** 1/17th Fighter Air Squadron, flying MiG-29/UB
** 53rd Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
** 15th Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
* Balchik Airfield
** 17th Fighter Air Regiment
*** 2/17th Fighter Air Squadron, flying MiG-21PFM/US
** 45th Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
** 27th Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
* 3rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade, in Burgas, protecting the oil refinery in Burgas, the naval bases in Varna and Burgas, and Eastern Bulgaria
** Brigade Command and Staff
** unofficially the Burgas groupment
*** Missile Air Defence Division - S-75M "Volkhov" SAM
*** Missile Air Defence Division - SA-75 "Dvina" SAM
*** Missile Air Defence Division - SA-75 "Dvina" SAM
*** Missile Air Defence Division - S-125 "Neva" SAM
*** Technical Division
** unofficially the Varna groupment
*** Missile Air Defence Division - SA-75 "Dvina" SAM
*** Missile Air Defence Division - SA-75 "Dvina" SAM
*** Missile Air Defence Division - SA-75 "Dvina" SAM
*** Missile Air Defence Division - S-125 "Neva" SAM
*** Technical Division
* 10th Radio-technical Regiment, in Yambol

[10th Composite Aviation Corps]

Headquarters, Plovdiv airfield
Command Post, Plovdiv airfield
Kolyu Ganchevo Air Base
*13th Helicopter Air Regiment of Combat Helicopters
** 1/13th Attack Helicopter Air Squadron, flying Mi-24D
** 2/13th Attack Helicopter Air Squadron, flying Mi-24D/V
* 42nd Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
* 21st Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
Graf Ignatievo Airfield
*19th Fighter Air Regiment
**1/19th Fighter Air Squadron, flying MiG-21bis/UM
**2/19th Fighter Air Squadron, flying MiG-21bis/UM
*39th Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
* 19th Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
Uzundzhovo Airfield
*21st Fighter Air Regiment
** 1/21st Fighter Air Squadron, flying MiG-21MF/UM
** 2/21st Fighter Air Squadron, flying MiG-21MF/UM
*81st Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
* 21st Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
Bezmer Airfield
22nd Fighter-Bomber Air Regiment
* 1/22nd Fighter-Bomber Air Squadron, flying Su-25K/UBK
* 2/22nd Fighter-Bomber Air Squadron, flying Su-25K/UBK
? Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
22nd Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
Cheshnegirovo Airfield
*25th Fighter-Bomber Air Regiment
** 1/25th Fighter-Bomber Air Squadron, flying MiG-23BN/UB
** 2/25th Fighter-Bomber Air Squadron, flying MiG-23BN/UB
* ? Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
* 25th Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
Tolbukhin Airfield
* 26th Reconnaissance Air Regiment
** 1/26th Reconnaissance Air Squadron, flying MiG-21R/F-13 (R)/US
** 2/26th Reconnaissance Air Squadron, flying Su-22M4, Su-22UM3K
** Independent Air Flight for Operational Reconnaissance, flying MiG-25RBT, MiG-25RU
* 30th Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
* 26th Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
Krumovo Airfield
* 44th Helicopter Air Regiment
** 1/44th Helicopter Air Squadron, flying Mi-8T
** 2/44th Helicopter Air Squadron, flying Mi-17
** 3/44th Helicopter Air Squadron, flying Mi-2
*? Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
* 44th Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
Troops Aviation Repair Workshop Graf Ignatievo
Troops Aviation Repair Workshop Bezmer
Troops Aviation Missile Repair Workshop
10th Signals Regiment, in Plovdiv
10th Radio-Technical Battalion, in Plovdiv

People's Higher Air Force School

The modern Bulgarian Air Force Training originates from 1955, when by order #182/ 1955 the commander of the People's Higher Air Force School transferred the 1st Combat Training Air Squadron with its Yak-11 trainers from Telish Air Base to Kamenets Air Base and transformed it into 2nd Combat Training Air Regiment with its 2 Yak-11 squadrons transitioning to Yak-17 and Yak-23. In the following year the air regiment transitioned to MiG-15/MiG-15bis/UMiG-15, and then to MiG-17s in 1963.
In 1967 the 2nd Combat Training Air Regiment split in two separate combat-training air regiments. The 1st Combat Training Air Regiment relocated to Shtraklevo Air Base close to Ruse with two MiG-17 squadrons and a third squadron relocated to Dolna Mitropoliya. The remainder of 2nd Combat Training Air Regiment stayed in Kamenets with two MiG-17 squadrons, retaining its designations. In 1969 the 1st Combat Training Air Regiment formed a fourth MiG-17 squadron at Dolna Mitropoliya. In 1971 the 3rd and 4th Squadrons split from the 1st CTAR, becoming 1st and 2nd Squadrons of a newly formed 3rd Combat Training Air Regiment at Dolna Mitropoliya. The replacement of the MiG-17 with Aero L-29 Delfín jet trainers started in 1964 at 2nd CTAR at Kamenets with small numbers used for the training of flight instructors. In 1965 the training of air force cadets on the L-29 started from the 3rd Squadron of 1st CTAR at Dolna Mitropoliya, and continued with the progress in deliveries with the 1st and 2nd Squadrons in Shtraklevo and the newly formed 4th Squadron in Dolna Mitropoliya.
The 2nd CTAR converted its 1st Squadron to MiG-21 in 1984 and its 2nd Squadron to L-39 in 1986.People's Higher Air Force School "Georgi Benkovski"

* Shtraklevo Airfield
** 1st Combat Training Air Regiment
*** 1/1st Training Air Squadron, flying L-29 Delfín
*** 2/1st Training Air Squadron, flying L-29 Delfín
*** 3/1st Training Air Squadron, flying L-29 Delfín
** 34th Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
** 12th Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
* Kamenets Airfield
** 2nd Combat Training Air Regiment
*** 1/2nd Training Air Squadron, flying MiG-21PFM/UM
*** 2/2nd Training Air Squadron, flying Aero L-39 Albatros|L-39ZA Albatros
** ? Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
** ? Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
* Dolna Mitropoliya Airfield
** 3rd Independent Training Air Squadron, flying L-29 Delfín
** 49th Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
** 4th Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
* Troops Aviation Repair Workshop Dolna Mitropoliya

Air Force and Air Defence Forces Equipment

In 1989 the air force's inventory consisted of:

51x MiG-21PFM interceptors, 35x MiG-21MF and 36x MiG-21bis fighters, 33x MiG-21UM two-seat trainers, 6x MiG-21R and 11 obsolete MiG-21F-13(R) reconnaissance aircraft
18x Su-22M4, 3x Su-22UM3K
7x MiG-23MF, 11x MiG-23ML/MLA and 15x MiG-23MLD fighters, 33x MiG-23BN attack aircraft, 15x MiG-23UB two-seat trainers
2x MiG-25RBT ELINT-reconnaissance aircraft, 1x MiG-25RU two-seat trainer
32x Su-25K attack aircraft, 3x Su-25UBK two-seat trainers
12x MiG-29A fighters, 4x MiG-29UB two-seat trainers
38x Mi-24D and 6x Mi-24V attack helicopters
20x Mi-17 transport helicopters
around 84 L-29 Delfín two-seat trainers
at 18x L-39ZA Albatros two-seat trainers
a further 36x MiG-21bis fighters were delivered in 1990 from Soviet Air Force stocks, 18 each for the conversion of the fighter squadrons in Balchik and Uzundzhovo.
14x Mi-2 and 7x Mi-8 helicopters
3x An-2, 3x An-24, 5x An-26, 1x An-30, 1x Yak-40, 2x Tu-134, 5x Let L-410UVP-E passenger and transport planes.

The three anti-aircraft missile brigades were equipped with the following air defence systems:

20x S-75M Volkhov high-altitude air defence systems
30x S-125 Pechora mobile air defence systems
25x S-200 Vega long range air defence systems
10x S-300 air defence systems

Structure c. 2019

Joint Forces Command, Sofia

* Military Command Center, Sofia
** Air Sovereignty Operations Center, Sofia, reports to NATO's Integrated Air Defense System CAOC Torrejón in Spain
* Air Forces Command, Sofia
** Command, Control and Surveillance Base
*** Headquarters
*** 1st Control and Surveillance Zone, Bozhurishte, Sofia Province
*** 2nd Control and Surveillance Zone, Trud, Plovdiv Province
*** 3rd Control and Surveillance Zone, Bratovo, Burgas Province
*** CIS and Navigation Systems Squadron, Graf Ignatievo Air Base
*** CIS and Navigation Systems Squadron, Krumovo Air Base
*** CIS and Navigation Systems Squadron, Dolna Mitropoliya Air Base
*** Air Force Meteorological Center
*** Aviation Technical Base, Balchik Airfield
** 3rd Air Base, Graf Ignatievo Air Base
*** Headquarters and Headquarters Services
*** 1st Fighter Squadron, operating 12x MiG-29A, 3x MiG-29UB
*** Aircraft Operational Support Ground Squadron
*** Maintenance and Aircraft Repair Squadron
*** Maintenance and Missile Repair Squadron
*** Airfield Technical Support and Supply Squadron
** 24th Air Base, Krumovo Air Base
*** Headquarters and Headquarters Services
*** 16th Air Transport Group, Vrazhdebna Air Base, operating 3x C-27J, 1x Pilatus PC-12, 2x Let L-410 Turbolet, 1x An-30, 2x An-26, 1x An-2
*** Attack Helicopter Squadron, operating 6x Mi-24
*** 2nd Transport Helicopter Squadron, operating 8x Eurocopter Cougar TTH, 4x Eurocopter Cougar CSAR, 3x Mi-17
*** Helicopter Training Flight, operating 6x Bell 206
*** Search and Rescue Flight, a company of infantrymen and medics
*** Aircraft Operational Support Ground Squadron
*** Maintenance and Aircraft Repair Squadron
*** Airfield Technical Support and Supply Squadron
** Forward Deployment Air Base Bezmer
*** Headquarters and Headquarters Services
*** 1st Ground Attack Squadron, operating 10x Su-25K, 4x Su-25UBK
*** Aircraft Operational Support Ground Squadron
*** Maintenance and Aircraft Repair Squadron
*** Airfield Technical Support and Supply Squadron
** Training Base "Georgi Benkovski", at Dolna Mitropoliya Air Base
*** operating 6x Pilatus PC-9 and 6x Aero L-39 Albatros
** Missile Air Defence Base, Sofia
*** Headquarters
*** Missile Air Defence Battalion, Bankya
*** Missile Air Defence Battalion, Kostinbrod
*** Missile Air Defence Battalion, Kichevo
*** Missile Air Defence Battalion, Chernomorets
*** Mobile Missile Air Defence Battalion, Stara Zagora
*** Missile Air Defence Shooting Range, Shabla
** Special Equipment Base, Bozhurishte suburb, Sofia
** Military Police Company of the Air Forces Command
** Air Forces Command Documentation Support Center