Bulgarian Deputy Defence Minister Spas Panchev and Italian ambassador to Bulgaria Stefano Benaco visited the new hangar under construction in the Vrazdebna air force base.

The project is being carried out by Italian aerospace company Anelia Aeronautica. Giuseppe Giordo, chief operator of military air supplies, accompanied the visitors.

The new hangar is almost complete and ready for use, an important step forward in the modernisation and overhaul of the air force base. The implementation of the project is part of additional obligations undertaken by Anelia, accompanying the supply of C 27 J Spartan military aircraft, as well as the construction of hangars for them.

"I believe that the facility will be complete by the end of July 2009. The facility is in total 4200 sq m in area," said Penchev, quoted in a media statement. 

"I am here not only to supervise the supply of the aircraft but also to ensure that the construction is going in accordance to plan. Additionally, I want to ensure that the aircraft themselves are fully operational and in impeccable order. The Bulgarian Air Force has ordered five planes altogether, two have been already delivered, and the third will arrive in August," Giordo said.

Alenia Aeronavali, part of Alenia Aeronautica works in co-operation with major aerospace groups, such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Airbus/EADS, Dassault and BAE Systems.

An aerospace engineering corporation in Italy, a subsidiary of Finmeccanica, Alenia is one of the partner companies of the Eurofighter consortium, Eurofighter GmbH and also the Panavia Tornado consortium, which constructs the Panavia Tornado fighter/bomber aircraft along with the United Kingdom and Germany.

Alenia's main activities include design and production of commercial and military aircraft, design and production of structures for military and civil aircraft and - through Aeronavali, a wholly owned company - the overhaul, maintenance and modification of military and civil aircraft.

The company, owned by Finmeccanica, is headed by Giorgio Zappa, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and has its registered office in Pomigliano d'Arco  in Naples.