SOFIA, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The joint Bulgarian-Israeli air force exercise "Collector's Item 17" will kick off on Thursday in Bulgarian airspace, the Bulgarian defense ministry said Tuesday in a statement.
During the seven-day drill, Bulgaria will participate with MiG-29 fighters and ground based anti-air defense systems, while the Israeli Air Force will perform tasks with F-15 and F-16 aircraft operating from their permanent bases, the ministry said.
Italian Eurofighter Typhoons are temporarily deployed in Bulgaria's Graf Ignatievo Air Base near Plovdiv in an operation on strengthening the eastern flank of NATO. They are also involved in the joint flights, the statement said.
Enhancing the theoretical, tactical, and special preparation of the servicemen is among the goals of the drill, the statement said.
Bulgarian and Israeli air forces had conducted their first joint training in 2012.
