Bulgarian Committee Backs Temporary Deployment of US Tanker Aircraft at Bezmer

Bulgaria’s parliamentary Defense Committee has approved a government proposal authorizing the temporary deployment of US aerial refueling aircraft and military personnel at Bezmer Air Base in southeastern Bulgaria.

The plan permits the deployment of up to eight tanker aircraft and as many as 250 US service members. The aircraft would use the Bulgarian base to support US military operations in the Middle East.

The committee approved the proposal with 11 votes in favor, one against, and two abstentions. The measure must now be considered by Bulgaria’s National Assembly before the deployment can proceed.

The request was formally submitted by the US Embassy in Sofia through a diplomatic note dated July 17, 2026. Bulgarian authorities have described the arrangement as temporary, although the publicly available information does not specify the expected duration or identify the tanker aircraft type.

Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said the proposed deployment would not create a direct threat to Bulgaria’s national security. The government has presented the decision as logistical support rather than direct Bulgarian participation in Middle Eastern combat operations.

Bezmer is one of the military facilities available for joint Bulgarian and US use under the countries’ bilateral defense cooperation framework. Its location provides access to southeastern Europe, the Black Sea region, and routes toward the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East.

Aerial refueling aircraft extend the range and endurance of combat, surveillance, and transport platforms. Temporary access to Bezmer could therefore provide the United States with additional operational flexibility while reducing pressure on other regional bases.

The proposed deployment also underlines Bulgaria’s role in NATO’s southeastern logistics network. Airfields in the country are increasingly relevant to allied mobility, reinforcement, training, and support operations connecting Central Europe, the Black Sea, and the eastern Mediterranean.

No information has been released on possible infrastructure upgrades, host-nation support costs, or the participation of Bulgarian military personnel. Further details may emerge during the National Assembly debate or following final approval.