Bulgaria will host the 15th edition of the International Exhibition of Defence Equipment and Services "Hemus 2022" that will take place in the period 1 - 4 June 2022 at the International Fair Plovdiv.

The exhibition will be held under the motto "Defence, Antiterrorism and Security". The foremost attention of the exhibitors will be focused on presenting their technological achievements and opportunities for participation in the implementation of the major projects on the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria in the areas of "Armament and Equipment", "Communication and Information Systems", unmanned aerial systems, surveillance and tracking systems, cyber defense etc.

The International Exhibition Hemus 2022 is held under the patronage of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Economy. The major organizer is Hemus-95 Foundation with Rear Admiral (Ret.) Dr. Nikolay Nikolov as Chairman of the Board.

The exhibition will be accompanied by an international scientific conference organized by the Bulgarian Defence Institute “Professor Tsvetan Lazarov”, a session of the Industrial Forum as well as live-fire demonstrations at Zmeyovo Central Artillery Technical Test Range.

For the first time, a "Research and Innovation Symposium for European Security and Defence" (RISE-SD) will take place within the framework of the exhibition, marking one year since the launch of Horizon Europe (HE) and the European Defence Fund (EDF), the new EU framework program for research and innovation.

Dear colleagues,

The official opening of the 15th International Defence Equipment Exhibition "Hemus 2022" will take place at 11.00 a.m. on 1 June 2022 at the International Fair Plovdiv. Traditionally, before the opening ceremony, at 10.00 a.m., a joint press conference of the exhibition organizers will be held in the Press Club Hall of the Fair's Congress Centre where you will have the opportunity to receive detailed information regarding the participants and the accompanying events.

The press center of the Ministry of Defence will organize the admission of media representatives to cover the official opening of the International Hemus 2022 Exhibition and the accompanying events. For this purpose, journalists have to confirm their participation by completing and sending the following registration form not later than 18 May 2022 to the e-mail: presscntr@mod.bg:

First name: Media:

Surname: Position held at the media:

Family name: Contact telephone:

Personal ID number: E-mail Address:

ID card number: Journalist card number:

Contact phone: 02/92 20 954, 02/92 20 955

The Royal Netherlands Air Force redeployed today, 6 April 2022, four F-35 aircraft at Graf Ignatievo Air Base. Until 31May 2022, they will fulfil enhanced Air Policing tasks jointly with the Bulgarian Air Force.

The Royal Netherlands Air Force aircraft, jointly with their Bulgarian colleagues, will fulfil tasks such as Combat Air Patrol (CAP), Interception, Visual Identification (V-ID), and Shadow. The Bulgarian Air Force will continue implementing their national commitments under the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System (NATINAMDS). Each one of the sides will cover the expenses of its own forces and assets participating in the enhanced Air Policing activities.

Through its decision dated 8 March 2022, the Council of Ministers authorised the implementation of enhanced Air Policing tasks in the airspace of the Republic of Bulgaria by the Bulgarian and the Royal Netherlands Air Forces. In fulfilling the joint Air Policing tasks, priority will be given to the use of the Bulgarian Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) fighter aircraft. The mission will be implemented in pursuance of the Assurance Measures aimed at providing assurance to nations on NATO’s Eastern Flank. The mission will be carried out in compliance with the plans and procedures of the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System (NATINAMDS).


The Air Policing of NATO airspace is a peacetime collective defence mission. Its purpose is to ensure the integrity and security of the Allied NATO airspace. Participation of personnel and assets of the Bulgarian Air Force in the joint enhanced Air Policing operations proves that the combat aviation capabilities of Bulgaria can function in integration with the forces of the Allies to safeguard the integrity and air security of Allied airspace on NATO’s Eastern Flank.

Decisions to ensure the security of Allies in Eastern Europe were made by the Heads of State and Government of the Member States at the NATO Summits in Wales in 2014 and in Warsaw in 2016. One of these decisions is to enhance the Air Policing Mission in the airspace of the Eastern Flank member states with Allied forces on a rotational basis. The Bulgarian Air Force has jointly performed Air Policing tasks in 2014 and 2016 with forces and assets from the US Air Force, in 2017 - with forces and assets from the Air Force of the Italian Republic, and in 2022 - with forces and assets from the Air Force of the Kingdom of Spain. Since 2012 until the present, the Bulgarian Air Force has carried out a significant number of cross-border operations with the Hellenic Air Force and the Romanian Air Force.

By 15 April 2022, Bulgaria is to submit its national report on the Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

The information exchanged on an annual basis between our country and the rest of the OSCE participating States is prepared jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, and the Ministry of Interior on the basis of answers to the questionnaire adopted by the OSCE participating States. The bigger part of the questions falls under the competence of the Ministry of Defence. Those relate to, among others, the legislative basis regulating defence planning, democratic control, roles and missions of the Armed Forces, the execution of the military service, education in international humanitarian law, the legal and the administrative procedures to protect the rights of the Armed Forces personnel.

In 1994, the participating States of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) adopted a Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security. The Code is a fundamental document setting forth the principles of good governance in the security sector management and playing the role of a monitoring mechanism as regards the observance of the said principles. It became effective as of January 1st, 1995. The exchange of information carried out under the Code contributes to confidence and security building between the countries. As an additional transparency measure, the reports are published on OSCE’s website.

By means of CM Decision of January 24th, the Council of Ministers authorised the implementation of joint (enhanced) Air Policing mission in the airspace of the Republic of Bulgaria by the Bulgarian and the Spanish Air Forces. The mission will be implemented in pursuance of the Assurance Measures aimed at providing assurance to nations on NATO’s Eastern Flank. It will be carried out in compliance with the plans and procedures of the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System (NATINAMDS). In the implementation of the joint Air Policing tasks, priority will be given to the use of the Bulgarian Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) fighter aircraft.

For the purposes of the joint (enhanced) Air Policing mission, the Air Force of the Kingdom of Spain will deploy 130 servicemen and 4 Eurofighter EF-2000 Typhoon aircraft. The Air Policing tasks will be performed until March 31st, 2022. The first Spanish fighters will land at Graf Ignatievo Air Base by the end of the week.

The Spanish aircraft will be assigned tasks such as Combat Air Patrol (CAP), Interception, Visual Identification (V-ID), and Shadow. The Bulgarian Air Force will continue implementing their national commitments with regard to conducting Quick Reaction Alert duty under the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System (NATINAMDS).

The Air Policing of NATO airspace is a peacetime collective defence mission. Its purpose is to ensure preserving the integrity, safety, and security of the airspace of the Allies. Participation in such joint missions enhances the Air Force capabilities to safeguard the integrity of Allied airspace on NATO’s Eastern Flank.

Decisions to ensure the security of Allies in Eastern Europe were taken by the Heads of State and Government of the Member States at the NATO Summits in Wales in 2014 and in Warsaw in 2016. One of these decisions is to strengthen the airspace of the Eastern Flank member states with Allied forces on a rotational basis. The Bulgarian Air Force has jointly performed Air Policing tasks in 2014 and 2016 with forces and assets from the US Air Force and in 2017 - with forces and assets from the Air Force of the Italian Republic. Since 2012, the Bulgarian Air Force has carried out a significant number of cross-border operations with the Romanian Air Force.

Graf Ignatievo Air Base hosts the flight training “Castle Forge – 2021” that begins today, 18 October 2021, with the participation of the Air Force and the Land Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria, and forces of the 336th Combat Squadron of 4th Combat Wing of the US Air Force from the state of North Carolina.

“For 16 years, since 2006, Graf Ignatievo Air Base has hosted more than 20 Bulgarian-American flight exercises with the participation of forces and assets of the US Air Force in Europe and formations of the US National Guard”, declared Brigadier General Nikolay Rusev, Commander of Graf Ignatievo Air Base. He added: “This flight training is another step forward in the development of our fruitful cooperation which has led to real results that raise the level of interoperability, improve the flight training of Bulgarian crews as well as the development of standard operational procedures, techniques and tactics in line with NATO standards“. General Rusev wished all participants successful implementation of the joint tasks.

Major Bronco Mangano, Deputy Commander of the US participants for the period of the flight training, thanked for the hospitality of the Bulgarian side and confirmed that by flying together the military units of the Bulgarian and the US Air Force enhance their partnership and their contribution to NATO’s collective defence.

This is the first relocation of personnel and equipment from Seymour Johnson Air Base on the territory of Bulgaria with which MiG-29 fighters and L-39ZA fighter jets from Graf Ignatievo Air Base will take part in joint training operations this week. Su-25 aircraft from the Front Deployment Base in Bezmer and anti-aircraft missile formations from Stara Zagora and Karlovo will also participate in the training.

In the period 25 – 29 October 2021, the crews of the five US F-15E aircraft will be at Larissa Air Base in order to conduct joint operations with the Greek Air Force.

In the first week of November, they will return to Graf Ignatievo Air Base to conduct the second stage of the Bulgarian-US flight training which will end on 5 November 2021. The implementation of joint training tasks with US units strengthens the bilateral cooperation and increases interoperability between the armed forces of the two countries.