The United States is sending an inspection team to certify the 3rd Air Base in Graf Ignatievo for the reception of the new Bulgarian F-16 fighter jets. If the inspection is unsuccessful Bulgaria may temporarily base its aircraft on foreign territory, as Slovakia did, segabg.com reports. 

''On April 22 and 24, Bulgaria’s Chief of Defense will visit Graf Ignatyevo with experts. There will be experts from the American side. Some of the facilities need certification in order for us to receive the aircraft on our territory", caretaker Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov said in response to a question by Focus news agency whether Bulgaria was ready to receive the first F-16 Block 70 fighters. In early April, former Defense Minister Todor Tagarev warned that the efforts of his team had failed to sufficiently compensate for the backlog in the preparation of the airbase.