U.S. Military C-17 Aircraft Appears at Sofia Airport.
Air Force military transport aircraft appeared at Sofia’s civilian airport just days after Prime Minister Rumen Radev and Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said that all U.S. military aircraft had left the country. This became clear from a Facebook post by Anton Balakchiev, which also included several photos.
They show a C-17 Globemaster military transport aircraft at the civilian airport.
According to Balakchiev, the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III of the United States Air Force stayed at Sofia Airport for about two hours, reportedly needed for loading and possible refuelling.
The aircraft is powered by four engines and can carry 102 service members, mainly from airborne units. If used for medical evacuation, it can accommodate 36 stretchers and 54 ambulatory patients and attendants.
The C-17 Globemaster III is capable of rapidly delivering troops and various types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in deployment zones.
This is the first C-17 Globemaster to appear in Sofia after the departure of a KC-135 eight days ago. The C-17 usually performs tactical and strategic airlift missions, including transporting troops and cargo around the world. Its additional roles include medical evacuation and airborne operations.
Fokus recalls that on June 28, the last of a total of 15 American aircraft also departed from Sofia Airport. At this stage, there has been no official statement or explanation about the purpose of the aircraft’s stay at Sofia Airport.