Bulgarian Tactical Air Force in 1983


	Bulgarian Air Defence and Air Force’s Tactical Air Units in January 1, 1983




	25th Fighter Bomber Air regiment’s MiG-23BN ‘Flogger-H’s. Photo: Evgeni Andonov collection




		The first MiG-21bis ‘Fishbed-N’s arrived to the 19th Fighter Air Regiment in 1983. Photo: Christian Boisselon collection.

Bulgarian Air Force MiG-17 Fresco-A fighter bomber with camouflage in the eighties

In 1983 the Bulgarian Air Force received the last batch of MiG-23BN ‘Flogger-H’ fighter-bombers. Two squadrons of the 25th regiment used 36 MiG-23BN ‘Flogger-H’ and six MiG-23UB ‘Flogger-C’ swing-wing types.
But in spite of the new modern MiG-23 type, half of the eight other Bulgarian tactical fighter and fighter-bomber squadrons still flew with the old MiG-17 ‘Fresco’ type. There was no money to replace them. That is why the Soviet Union handed over a regiment of MiG-21bis ‘Fishbed-N’ tactical fighters at a symbolic price. The 19th regiment's pilots flew with MiG-21bis ‘Fishbed-N’ for the first time in 1984.

Left: Bulgarian 26th Reconnaissance Air Regiment’s MiG-17 ‘Fresco-A’ reconnaissance fighter with camouflage at Dobrich airport in the eighties

Bulgarian nuclear bomber - MiG-23BN Flogger-H

Bulgarian MiG-21bis Fishbed-L/N type - Early years

People's Republic of Bulgarian Air Force order of battle in 1983

* The 19th regiment received the MiG-21bis type in 1983.
** Under construction
*** The exact number of the squadrons is being researched

In 1982 the advanced MiG-25RBT ‘Foxbat-B’ entered service at the Bulgarian Air Force. The 26th Reconnaissance Air Regiment's Operational Reconnaissance Flight used this aircraft by photographic reconnaissance and ELINT duties, and a secondary task of ground attack. The old MiG-15bisR ‘Fagot-B’ photo reconnaissance type was withdrawn from service in 1981.






		The 21st Fighter Air Regiment’s MiG-21MF ‘Fishbed-J’




		The 26th Reconnaissance Air Regiment used ELINT capacity MiG-25RBT ‘Foxbat-B’ aircraft. Photo: Air Fan N150




		13th Helicopter Regiment’s modern Mi-24D ‘Hind-D’ attack helicopter in the eighties. Photo: Air Fan N150

The Soviet Union delivered thirty-eight Mi-24D ‘Hind-D’ attack helicopters to Bulgaria between 1979 and 1984. The 44th Helicopter Regiment split into two units. The original 44th Helicopter Regiment used Mi-8 ‘Hip-C’ and Mi-2 ‘Hoplite’ transport and training/courier helicopters. The new 13th Helicopter Regiment received all Mi-24D ‘Hind-D’ attack helicopters in 1982. Temporarily both helicopter units were stationed at Plovdiv - Krumovo airport till 1983.

The 10th Composite Air Corps was withdrawn from service of the old IL-14 ‘Crate’ cargo and Mi-4 ‘Hound’ transport helicopter in the early eighties.



		Bulgarian Ilyushin IL-14 ‘Crate’ cargo aircrafts. Source: pan.bg Retrospotters



		Mi-4 ‘Hound’ cargo helicopter with paratrooper in the eighties. Source: pan.bg Retrospotters

External link: Bulgarian Air Force, May 1983 - CIA report

Tags:
Bulgarian Air Force, VVS, Cold War, Warsaw Pact, 10th Composite Air Corps, Plovdiv, 19th Fighter Air Regiment, Graf Ignatievo, MiG-21M, MiG-21MF Fishbed-J, 21st Fighter Air Regiment, Uzundzhovo, MiG-17 Fresco-A, 22nd Fighter Bomber Air Regiment, Bezmer, MiG-17 Fresco-A, 25th Fighter Bomber Air Regiment, Cheshnegirovo, MiG-23BN Flogger-H, 44th Helicopter Air Regiment, Plovdiv, Krumovo, Mi-4 Hound, Mi-8T Hip-C, Mi-2 Hoplite, 13th Attack Helicopter Regiment, Plovdiv, Krumovo, Mi-24D Hind-D, 16th Transport Air Regiment, Dobroslavtzi, An-24 Coke, An-30 Clank, Yak-40 Codling, 26th Reconnaissance Air Regiment, Dobrich, MiG-25RBT Foxbat-B, MiG-17 Fresco-A, MiG-21R Fishbed-H, MiG-21F-13 Fishbed-C, 1st Education and Training Air Regiment, Shtruklevo, Dolna Mitropolia, L-29 Delfin, 2nd Combat Training Air Regiment, Kamenetz, MiG-17 Fresco-A, MiG-15 UTI Midget

Военновъздушни сили, ВВС, Военновъздушни сили на Република България, 10-и САК, 10-и Смесен авиационен корпус, Варшавски договор, Студена война, 19-ти изтребителен авиополк, 19-и ИАП, Граф Игнатиево, МиГ-21МФ, МиГ-21М, 21-ви изтребителен авиополк, 19-и ИАП, Узунджово, МиГ-17, 22-ри изтребително-бомбардировъчен авиополк, 22-ри ИБАП, Безмер, МиГ-17, 25-ти изтребителн-бомбардировъчен авиополк, 25-и ИБАП, Чешнегирово, МиГ-23БН, 26-ти разузнавателен авиополк, 26-и РАП, Толбухин, Добрич, МиГ-25РБТ, МиГ-17, МиГ-21Р, МиГ-21Ф-13, 44-ти вертолетен авиополк, 44-ти ВАП, Крумово, Пловдив, Ми-8т, Ми-4, Ми-2, 2-ри учебно-боен авиополк, 2-ри УАБ, Каменец, МИГ-21ПФМ, L-39ZA, 1-ри учебна авиобаза, 1-УАБ, Долна Митрополия, Щръклево, L-29, Ан-24, Як-40 и Ту-134, Стара Загора, Ми-24Д,