Bulgaria’s Defense Ministry has changed a criteria in its fighter acquisition program. The lifespan of the aircraft now carry a weightage of just five percent in the evaluation.
By VictorCozmei (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
The previous weightage of 25 percent was seen to favor the Saab Gripen. The new factor will shift the advantage to second-hand F-16s.
Bulgaria had wanted to buy used F-16s from Portugal but the plan was abandoned following the collapse of the Borissov government. Those F-16s eventually went to Romania.