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U.S. ground support aircraft begin nearly 3-month training in Bulgaria

Xinhua, January 6, 2016 Adjust font size:

A joint military drill involving the Bulgarian Air Force and U.S. A-10 Thunderbolt II ground support aircraft of the 74th Fighter Squadron from Moody Air Force Base kicked off on Wednesday, officials said.

The training, Thracian Thunder 16, will continue until March 25 at Graf Ignatievo Air Base, one of the four joint U.S.-Bulgarian military facilities in the Balkan country, the Bulgarian Air Force said in a statement on its website.

The event is a part of the plan for joint Bulgarian-American training and exercises for 2016, the statement said.

Bulgarian participation includes MiG-29 and Su-25 aircraft, as well as helicopters AS-532 AL Cougar, Mi-24 and Mi-17, and anti-aircraft missile units, the statement said.

The main objectives of Thracian Thunder 16 are to improve the flight and tactical training of the personnel, and increase the interoperability of the Bulgarian Air Force for participation in NATO operations, the statement said.

In 2015, Bulgarian armed forces participated in 35 key joint trainings and exercises with the U.S. Army, including 23 in Bulgaria and 12 abroad, the country's ministry of defense has said in a report. Endit