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Greece to conduct Bulgarian air policing
Greek fighter aircraft will begin policing Bulgarian airspace by the middle of the year, following the signing of a landmark agreement between the two countries on 18 March.
Signed by the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) Chief of Staff Evangelos Tournas and his Bulgarian counterpart, Constantin Popov, the technical agreement defines a framework for cross-border air policing operations so the HAF can undertake air defence missions in Bulgarian airspace.
The HAF is expected to begin policing Bulgarian airspace in mid-2014, within 120 days from the date of signing.
The Bulgarian Air Force has a limited and ageing fighter fleet, consisting of MiG-29 'Fulcrum' and MiG-21 'Fishbed' fighters. The agreement with the HAF is therefore a logical move, based on NATO's similar arrangements with Bosnia and Slovenia and the three Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
A memorandum of understanding was originally signed between the two countries in November 2010, although the Greek parliament only ratified this through Law 4185/13 in 2013, which opened the way for the technical agreement.
In addition to other elements, the new agreement sets out the quick reaction alert (QRA) role for HAF fighters, alternative landing fields for HAF aircraft in Bulgaria, communications procedures, and fuelling arrangements.
Greece to conduct Bulgarian air policing - IHS Jane's 360