Bulgarian Air Force Announces Low-Altitude Flight Exercises Across Southern, Western, and Northern Bulgaria
Yambol, Bulgaria – The Bulgarian Air Force has issued a public notice regarding low-altitude flight operations scheduled to take place across a wide swath of the country as part of Exercise ESE 25. Residents in areas encompassing Cheshnegirovo, Chernogorovo, and mountainous regions of Northern Bulgaria can expect to observe aircraft flying at lower altitudes than usual.
Colonel Milen Dimitrov,commander of Bezmer Air Base,assured citizens there is no cause for alarm,stating,”There will be aviation equipment in the air. People should not worry, they are still teachings for which they are informed. It will be normal when they perform their aircraft tasks, the population to see planes in the air.”
The exercises, which began this year with expanded international participation, focus on enhancing interoperability and skillsets among pilots, engineers, and technicians operating Spartan aircraft. Bulgaria is fielding four C-295 Spartan aircraft, platforms with operational experience in Afghanistan, Iraq, Mali, and during the recent COVID-19 pandemic for citizen evacuations.
this year’s ESE 25 includes a Spanish casa C-295 and welcomes greece as a full participant, while Slovenia is observing with plans to join fully next year. According to Colonel Lazarin Lazarov, Commander of the Doctrine and Hostile Base, the training extends beyond flight maneuvers to encompass thorough aircraft preparation for diverse missions, including medical evacuation, troop transport, and combat equipment delivery.
Crews will be practicing tactical landings, troop and cargo transport, and air-medical evacuation procedures, primarily utilizing Bezmer and Cheshnegirovo airports.
