Sofia Airport to halt civilian flights as US military aircraft stage in Bulgaria
Sofia International Airport will suspend all civilian air traffic twice this weekend as American military aircraft stage at the facility, amid what observers describe as the largest US Air Force deployment to Europe and the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq war.
According to flight data from FlightRadar24 and a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) verified by investigative outlet Obektivno.BG, the airport will close to non-military operations on Feb. 23 from 01:15 to 02:50 and again on Feb. 24 from 01:05 to 03:35. Only military flights will be permitted during those time windows.
Images circulating on social media show multiple American military aircraft parked at Terminal 1 of Sofia’s Vasil Levski Airport. Security analyst and former deputy foreign minister Milen Keremedchiev said the contingent includes seven aerial refueling tankers, three C-17 and C-130 cargo planes, and several Boeing 747 aircraft typically used for transporting personnel.
The Bulgarian Ministry of Defense confirmed the presence of US Air Force planes but said they are deployed “in support of training related to NATO’s enhanced vigilance activities,” adding that US personnel are engaged in maintenance operations.
President Iliana Iotova said the presidency had received formal notification from the ministry that the aircraft are part of upcoming exercises, though she criticized what she described as limited inter-institutional communication.
Wider US military mobilization
The aircraft in Sofia appear to form part of a broader US mobilization. Obektivno.BG reported that more than 120 US Air Force planes have crossed the Atlantic in recent days, including F-16s, F-35A stealth fighters, F-22 Raptors, refueling tankers and reconnaissance aircraft.
Among those confirmed in Sofia are KC-135R Stratotankers from the 6th Air Refueling Wing based at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.
The buildup extends beyond Bulgaria. F-22 jets have arrived at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom, while the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is reportedly en route to join the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group in the Arabian Sea. Open-source flight tracking data indicate additional aircraft deployments to bases in the Azores, Crete, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
Diplomacy and deadlines
The military movements coincide with renewed nuclear diplomacy between Washington and Tehran.
US President Donald Trump said he has given Iran approximately 10 days to reach a nuclear agreement, warning that failure to secure a “meaningful deal” could lead to consequences. “Maybe we’re going to make a deal,” Trump said. “You’ll find out over the next, probably, ten days.”
US envoys reportedly met Iranian officials in Geneva this week, with both sides acknowledging limited progress, though significant gaps remain.
Bulgaria, a NATO member since 2004, signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement with the United States in 2006, allowing shared use of military facilities. Under the agreement, US forces may use Bulgarian bases for missions in third countries, subject to bilateral consultations.
The temporary closure of Sofia’s main airport underscores the scale and sensitivity of the current deployment, as diplomatic efforts unfold alongside visible military preparations.
