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Hungarian Defence Forces

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Hungarian Defence Forces
Magyar Honvédség
Emblem of the Hungarian Defence Forces
Flag of the Hungarian Defence Forces
MottoA hazáért
(transl. For the homeland)
Founded16 May 1848;176 years ago(1848-05-16)[1][2]
Current form15 March 1990[3][4]
Service branchesHungarian Ground Forces
Hungarian Air Force
HeadquartersBudapest
Websitedefence.hu
Leadership
PresidentTamás Sulyok
Prime MinisterViktor Orbán
Minister of DefenceKristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky
Chief of General StaffColonel generalGábor Böröndi
Personnel
Military age18–50[5]years of age[6]
ConscriptionNo (suspended on 3 November 2004)[7]
Active personnel41,600[8]
Reserve personnel20,000[9]
Deployed personnel868 (2019)[10]
Expenditure
Budget$5.23 billion (2024)[11](ranked 41st)
Percent of GDP2.14% (2024)[11]
Industry
Foreign suppliersCzech Republic
France
Germany
Italy
Sweden
Turkey
United States
Former:
Soviet Union
Related articles
HistoryMilitary history of Hungary
RanksMilitary ranks of Hungary

TheHungarian Defence Forces(Hungarian:Magyar Honvédség,lit. 'Hungarian Homeland-Guard',Hungarian pronunciation:[ˈmɒɟɒrˈhonveːt͡ʃːeːg]) is the nationaldefence forceofHungary.Since 2007, the Hungarian Armed Forces has been under a unified command structure. The Ministry of Defence maintains political and civil control over the army. A subordinate Joint Forces Command coordinates and commands the HDF corps. In 2020, the armed forces had 22,700 personnel on active duty. In 2019, military spending was $1.904 billion, about 1.22% of the country's GDP, well below the NATO target of 2%.[12]In 2016, the government adopted a resolution in which it pledged to increase defence spending to 2.0% of GDP and the number of active personnel to 37,650 by 2026.[13][14]

Military serviceis voluntary, thoughconscriptionmay occur in wartime. In a significant move for modernization, Hungary decided in 2001 to buy 14JAS 39 Gripenfighter aircraft for about €800 million. It also bought two used Airbus A319 and two Falcon 7X transport aircraft. Three C-17 III Globemaster transport aircraft are operating from Pápa Air Base under Hungarian nationality mark but are maintained by the NATOHeavy Airlift Wing(HAW). An intensive modernization program started in 2016 under the name "Zrínyi 2026". New helicopters, tanks, IFVs and artillery equipment were purchased beside others. Hungarian National Cyber Security Center was re-organized in 2016.[15]

As of 2016, the Hungarian military has about 700 troops stationed in foreign countries as part of international peacekeeping forces, including 100 HDF troops in theNATO-ledISAFforce inAfghanistan,210 Hungarian soldiers inKosovounder command ofKFOR,and 160 troops inBosnia and Herzegovina.Hungary sent a 300-strong logistics unit to Iraq in order to help the US occupation with armed transport convoys, though public opinion opposed the country's participation in the war. One soldier waskilled in actionby a roadside bomb in Iraq.

During theHungarian Revolution of 1848,the HDF drove Habsburg forces from the country in theSpring Campaignof 1849, but was defeated by an Austro-Russian offensive in the summer. TheRoyal Hungarian Honvédwas established in 1868. During World War I, out of the eight million men mobilized byAustria-Hungary,over one million died.Conscriptionwas introduced on a national basis in 1939. The peacetime strength of theRoyal Hungarian Armygrew to 80,000 men organized into seven corps commands.[16]During World War II theHungarian Second Armywas destroyed on the banks of theDon Riverin December 1942 in theBattle of Stalingrad.During the Socialist and theWarsaw Pactera (1947–1989), the entire 200,000 strongSouthern Group of Forceswas garrisoned in Hungary, complete with artillery, tank regiments, air force and missile troops with nuclear weapons.

Structure

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Main article:Structure of the Hungarian Defence Forces
Structure of the Hungarian Defence Forces, 2018 (click image to enlarge)

Flag and emblem

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The central element of the emblem of the Hungarian Defence Forces is theTurulbird with extended wings holding the sword of KingSaint Stephenin its claws. The element is surrounded by aturkey oak branchon the right and anolive branchon the left. At the meeting point of the branches is the "Hungarian Defense Shield" in thenational color.The inscription"A HAZÁÉRT"can be read at the top as "for the homeland", and"MAGYAR HONVÉDSÉG"can be read in a semicircle at the bottom as "Hungarian Defence Forces". The flag of the Hungarian Defence Forces is white, and the emblem is placed in the middle of the flag.[17]

History

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Main articles:Military history of HungaryandList of wars involving Hungary

Ancient, medieval, and early modern military

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Main articles:Hungarian invasions of Europe,Principality of Hungary,Kingdom of Hungary (1000–1301),Kingdom of Hungary (1301–1526),Ottoman Hungary,Royal Hungary,andPrincipality of Transylvania (1570–1711)
Military vehicles on show

The Hungarian tribes ofÁrpádvezérwho came to settle in the Carpathian Basin were noted for their fearsomelight cavalry,which conductedfrequent raidsthroughout much ofWestern Europe(as far as present-daySpain), maintaining their military supremacy with long range and rapid-firingreflex bows.Not until the introduction of well-regulated, plate-armored knight heavy cavalry could German emperors stop the Hungarian armies.

During the Árpáds the light cavalry based army was transformed slowly into a western-style one. The light cavalry lost its privileged position, replaced by a feudal army formed mainly from heavy cavalry.

The Hungarian field armies were drawn up into an articulated formation (as it happened inBattle of Przemyśl (1099),Battle at Leitha(1146),Battle of Morvamező(1278), (1349), in three mainbattle (formation)(1146, 1278, 1349). According to the contemporary sources and later speculations, the first line was formed by light cavalry archers (Battle of Oslava(1116, 1146, 1260, 1278). Usually, they started the battle followed by a planned retreat (1116, 1146),Battle of Kressenbrunn(1260). The major decisive battles of the Hungarian army were placed in the second or third lines consisted mainly of the most valuable parts of the army – in general heavy cavalry (1146, 1278, 1349).

The commanders of theHungarian Kingdom's army used different tactics, based on a recognition of their own and the enemies' (Holy Roman Empire,Pechenegs,Uzes,Cumans,Mongols,Byzantine Empire) abilities and deficiencies.

The Hungarian knight army had its golden age under KingLouis the Great,who himself was a famed warrior and conducted successful campaigns inItalydue to family matters (his younger brother marriedJoanna I, Queen of Napleswho murdered him later.) KingMatthias Corvinusmaintained very modern mercenary-based royal troops, called theBlack Army.King Matthias favoured ancient artillery (catapults) as opposed to cannons, which were the favourite of his father,Johannes Hunyadi,formerRegent of Hungary.

During theOttomaninvasion of Central Europe (between late 14th century and circa 1700) Hungarian soldiers protected fortresses and launched light cavalry attacks against the Turks (seeHungarian Hussars). The northern fortress ofEgerwas famously defended in the autumn of 1552 during the 39-daySiege of Egeragainst the combined force of two Ottoman armies numbering circa 120,000 men and 16 ultra-heavy siege guns. The victory was very important, because two much stronger forts ofSzolnokandTemesvárhad fallen quickly during the summer. Public opinion[citation needed]attributed Eger's success to the all-Hungarian garrison, as the above two forts have fallen due to treason by the foreign mercenaries manning them. In 1596,Eger fell to the Ottomansfor the same reason.

In the 1566Battle of Szigetvár,Miklós ZrínyidefendedSzigetvárfor 30 days against the largest Ottoman army ever seen up to that day,[18]and died leading his remaining few soldiers on a final suicide charge to become one of the best known national heroes. His great-grandson,Miklós Zrínyi,poet and general became one of the better-known strategists of the 1660s. In 1686, the capital cityBudawas freed from the Ottomansby an allied Christian army composed of Austrian, Hungarian, and Western European troops, each roughly one-third of the army.[citation needed]TheHabsburgempire then annexed Hungary.

Habsburg Hungarian military

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Main article:Royal Hungarian Landwehr
See also:Hungarian Revolution of 1848andKingdom of Hungary (1526–1867)
Hungarian hussars in battle during theHungarian Revolution of 1848

UnderHabsburg rule,Hungarian Hussarsrose to international fame and served as a model for light cavalry in many European countries. During the 18th and 19th centuries hundreds of thousands of forcibly enrolled Hungarian males served 12 years or more each as line infantry in the Austrian Imperial Army.

Two independence wars interrupted this era, that of PrinceFrancis II Rákóczibetween 1703 and 1711and that ofLajos Kossuthin 1848–1849. A July 11, 1848 act of parliament in Budapest called for the formation of an army, theHonvédség,of 200,000 which would use theMagyar languageof command. It was to be formed around already extant imperial units, twenty battalions of infantry, ten hussar regiments, and two regiments ofSzékelyfrom theTransylvanian Military Frontier.They were further joined by eight companies of two Italian regiments stationed in Hungary and parts of the Fifth Bohemian Artillery Regiment.[19]

In 1848–1849 the Honvédség (mostly made up of enthusiastic patriots with no prior military training) achieved incredible successes against better-trained and -equipped Austrian forces, despite the obvious advantage in numbers on the Austrian side. The Winter Campaign ofJózef Bemand the Spring Campaign ofArtúr Görgeyare to this day taught at prestigious military schools around the globe, including atWest Point Academyin the United States. Having suffered initial setbacks, including the loss ofPest-Buda,the Honvéd took advantage of the Austrians' lack of initiative and re-formed around theDebrecen-based Kossuth government.[20]The Hungarians advanced again and by the end of spring 1849, Hungary was basically cleared of foreign forces, and would have achieved independence, were it not for the Russian intervention. At the request of theAustrian emperorFranz Joseph,[21]the Russians invaded with a force of 190,000 soldiers – against the Honvédség's 135,000 – and decisively defeated Bem's Second Army in Transylvania, opening the path into the heart of Hungary. This way the Austrian-Russian coalition outnumbered Hungarian forces 3:1, which led to Hungary'ssurrender at Világoson 13 August 1849.Sándor Petőfi,the great Hungarian poet, wentmissing in actionin theBattle of Segesvár,against invading Russian forces.

In April 1867, theAustro-Hungarian Empirewas established. Franz Josef, the head of the ancientHabsburgdynasty, was recognized as bothEmperor of AustriaandKing of Hungary.Nevertheless, the issue of what form the Hungarian military would take remained a matter of serious contention between Hungarian patriots and Austrian leaders.[22]As the impasse threatened the political union, Emperor Franz Josef ordered a council of generals in November of the same year. Ultimately, the leaders resolved on the following solution: in addition to thejoint (k.u.k.) army,Hungary would have its own defence force, whose members would swear their oath to the King of Hungary (who was also Emperor of Austria) and the national constitution, use the Hungarian language of command, and display their own flags and insignia. (Austria would also form its own parallel national defence force, theLandwehr.)[23]As a result of these negotiations, on 5 December 1868, theRoyal Hungarian Landwehr(Magyar Kiralyi Honvédség,or Defence Force) was established.

The Honvédség was usually treated generously by theDietin Budapest.[24]By 1873 it already had over 2,800 officers and 158,000 men organized into eighty-six battalions and fifty-eight squadrons. In 1872, theLudovika Academyofficially began training cadets (and later staff officers). Honvédség units engaged in manoeuvres and were organized into seven divisions in seven military districts. While artillery was not allowed, the force did form batteries ofGatling gunsin the 1870s.[25]

In the midst of trouble between the imperial government and the parliament in 1906, the Honvédség was further expanded and finally received its own artillery units. In this form, the force approached the coming world war in most respects as a truly "national" Hungarian army.[26]

World War I

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Main article:Royal Hungarian Landwehr
See also:Hungary in World War I

Hungarian soldiers "fought with distinction" on every front contested by Austria-Hungary in theFirst World War.[26]Honvédség units (along with theAustrian Landwehr) were considered fit for front line combat service and equal to those of the joint forces K.U.K. army.[27]They saw combat especially on theEastern Frontand at theBattles of the Isonzoon theItalian Front.Out of the eight million men mobilized by Austria-Hungary, over one million died. Hungarians as a national group were second only to German Austrians in their share of this burden, experiencing twenty-eight war deaths for every thousand persons.[28]

After the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian empire in late 1918, theRed Armyof the Hungarian communist state (Hungarian Soviet Republic) conducted successful campaigns to protect the country's borders. However, in theHungarian–Romanian War of 1919Hungary came under occupation by theRomanian,Serbian,American,andFrenchtroops, as after four years of extensive fighting, the country lacked both the necessary manpower and equipment to fend off foreign invaders.

In accordance with theTreaty of Bucharest,upon leaving, theRomanian armytook substantial compensation for reparations. This included agricultural goods and industrial machinery as well as raw materials.[29]TheTrianon Treatylimited theHungarian National Armyto 35,000 men and forbade conscription. The army was forbidden to possess tanks, heavy armor, or an air force.

Mid-twentieth century

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Main article:Royal Hungarian Army
See also:Hungary between the two world warsandKingdom of Hungary (1920–1946)

On 9 August 1919, AdmiralMiklós Horthyunited various anti-communist military units into an 80,000-strong National Army (Nemzeti Hadsereg). On 1 January 1922, the National Army was once again redesignated the Royal Hungarian Army.

During the 1930s and early 1940s,Hungarywas preoccupied with the regaining the vast territories and huge amount of population lost in theTrianon peace treatyatVersaillesin 1920. This required strong armed forces to defeat theneighbouring statesand this was something Hungary could not afford. Instead, the HungarianRegent,Admiral Miklós Horthy, made an alliance withNazi Germany.In exchange for this alliance and via theFirstandSecond Vienna Awards,Hungary received back parts of its lost territories fromYugoslavia,Romania,andCzechoslovakia.Hungary was to pay dearly during and afterWorld War IIfor these temporary gains.[citation needed][clarification needed]

On 5 March 1938, Prime MinisterKálmán Darányiannounced a rearmament program (the so-calledGyőrProgramme,named after the city where it was announced to the public). Starting 1 October, the armed forces established a five-year expansion plan with Huba I-III revised orders of battle.Conscriptionwas introduced on a national basis in 1939. The peacetime strength of theRoyal Hungarian Armygrew to 80,000 men organized into seven corps commands.[16]

In March 1939, Hungary launched an invasion of the newly formedSlovak Republic.Both the Royal Hungarian Army and theRoyal Hungarian Air Forcefought in the briefSlovak-Hungarian War.This invasion was launched to reclaim a part of the Slovakian territory lost after World War I.

On 1 March 1940, Hungary organized itsground forcesinto three field armies. The Royal Hungarian Army fielded theHungarian First Army,theHungarian Second Army,and theHungarian Third Army.With the exception of the independent "Fast Moving Army Corps" (Gyorshadtest), all three Hungarian field armies were initially relegated to defensive and occupation duties within the regained Hungarian territories.

World War II

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Main article:Royal Hungarian Army
See also:Hungary in World War II

In November 1940, Hungary signed theTripartite Pactand became a member of theAxiswithNazi GermanyandFascist Italy.

In April 1941, in order to regain territory and because of the German pressure, Hungary allowed theWehrmachtto cross her territory in order to launch theinvasion of Yugoslavia.The Hungarian foreign minister,Pál Telekiwho wanted to maintain a pro-allied neutral stance for Hungary, could no longer keep the country out of the war, as the British Foreign SecretaryAnthony Edenhad threatened to break diplomatic relations with Hungary if it did not actively resist the passage of German troops across its territory, and GeneralHenrik Werth,chief of the Hungarian General Staff made a private arrangement - unsanctioned by the Hungarian government - with the German High Command for the transport of the German troops across Hungary. Pál Teleki, no longer being able to stop the unfolding events, committed suicide on April 3, 1941, and Hungary joined the war on April 11 after the proclamation of theIndependent State of Croatia.

After the controversialKassa attack,elements of the Royal Hungarian Army joined the German invasion of theSoviet Union,Operation Barbarossa,one week later than the start of the operation. In spite of the arguments made that Hungary (unlike Romania) had no territorial claims in the Soviet Union, the fateful decision was made to join the war in the East. In the late summer of 1941, the Hungarian "Rapid Corps" (Gyorshadtest), alongsideGermanand Romanian army groups, scored a huge success against the Soviets at theBattle of Uman.A little more than a year later and contrasting sharply with the success at Uman, was the near total devastation of theHungarian Second Armyon banks of theDon Riverin December 1942 during theBattle for Stalingrad.

During 1943, theHungarian Second Armywas re-built. In late 1944, as part ofPanzerarmee Fretter-Pico,it participated in the destruction of a Soviet mechanized group at theBattle of Debrecen.But this proved to be aPyrrhic victory.Unable to re-build again, theHungarian Second Armywas disbanded towards the end of 1944.

To keep Hungary as an ally, the Germans launchedOperation Margaretheand occupied Hungary in March 1944. However, during theWarsaw Uprising,Hungarian troops refused to participate.[30]

Graves of aRoyal Hungarian Armycaptain and 6 of his men who fell, fighting on the Polish side inWarsaw uprising1944

On 15 October 1944, the Germans launchedOperation Panzerfaustand forced Horthy to abdicate. Pro-NaziFerenc Szálasiwas made prime ministerby the Germans.

On 28 December 1944, aprovisional governmentunder the control of theSoviet Unionwas formed in liberatedDebrecenwithBéla Miklósas itsprime minister.Miklós was the commander of theHungarian First Army,but most of the First Army sided with the Germans and most of what remained of it was destroyed about 200 kilometres north of Budapest between 1 January and 16 February. The pro-Communistgovernment formed by Miklós competed with the pro-Nazigovernment of Ferenc Szálasi.The Germans, Szálasi, and pro-German Hungarian forces loyal to Szálasi fought on. On 20 January 1945, representatives of the provisional government ofBéla Miklóssigned an armistice inMoscow.But forces loyal to Szálasi still continued to fight on.

TheRed Army,with assistance from Romanian army units, completed the encirclement of Budapest on 29 December 1944 and theSiege of Budapestbegan. On 2 February 1945, the strength of the Royal Hungarian Army was 214,465 men, but about 50,000 of these had been formed intounarmed labor battalions.[30]The siege of Budapest ended with the surrender of the city on 13 February. But, while the German forces in Hungary were generally in a state of defeat, the Germans had one more surprise for the Soviets.

In early March 1945, the Germans launchedthe Lake Balaton Offensivewith support from the Hungarians. This offensive was almost over before it began. By 19 March 1945, Soviet troops had recaptured all the territory lost during a 13-day German offensive.[31]

After the failed offensive, the Germans in Hungary were defeated. Most of what remained of theHungarian Third Armywas destroyed about 50 kilometres west of Budapest between 16 March and 25 March 1945. Officially, Soviet operations in Hungary ended on 4 April 1945 when the last German troops were expelled.

Some pro-fascist Hungarians like Szálasi retreated with the Germans into Austria and Czechoslovakia. During the very last phase of the war,FascistHungarian forces fought inVienna,Breslau,Küstrin,and along theOder River.[30]

Uniform of the Hungarian People's Army (Magyar Néphadsereg): Hungarian military police summer uniform (enlisted, private, 1965–2005)

On 7 May 1945,GeneralAlfred Jodl,the GermanChief of Staff,signed the document of unconditional surrender for all German forces. Jodl signed this document during a ceremony inFrance.On 8 May, in accordance with the wishes of theSoviet Union,the ceremony was repeated in Germany byField MarshalWilhelm Keitel.On 11 June, the Allies agreed to make 9 May 1945 the official "Victory in Europe" day.[32]Szálasi and many other pro-fascist Hungarians were captured and ultimately returned to Hungary's provisional government for trial.

Warsaw Pact

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Main article:Hungarian People's Army
See also:Second Hungarian RepublicandHungarian People's Republic

During the Socialist and theWarsaw Pactera (1947–1989), the SovietSouthern Group of Forces,200,000 strong, was garrisoned in Hungary, complete with artillery, tank regiments, air force and missile troops (with nuclear weapons). It was, by all means, a very capable force but which had little contact with the local population. Between 1949 and 1955 there was also a huge effort to build a big Hungarian army. All procedures, disciplines, and equipment were exact copies of theSoviet Armed Forcesin methods and material, but the huge costs collapsed the economy by 1956.

During the autumn1956 revolution,the army was divided. When the opening demonstrations on 23 October 1956 were fired upon byÁVHsecret policemen, Hungarian troops sent to crush the demonstrators instead provided their arms to the latter or joined them outright. While most major military units in the capital were neutral during the fighting, thousands of rank-and-file soldiers went over to the Revolution or at least provided the revolutionaries with arms.[33]Many significant military units went over to the uprising in full, such as the armored unit commanded by ColonelPál Maléterwhich joined forces with the insurgents at theBattle of the Corvin Passage.However, there were 71 recorded clashes between the people and the army between 24 and 29 October in fifty localities; these were typically either defending certain military targets from rebel attack or fighting the insurgents outright, depending on the commander.[33]When the Soviets crushed the Revolution on 4 November, the Army put up sporadic and disorganized resistance; lacking orders, many of their divisions were simply overpowered by the invading Soviets.

After the Revolution was crushed inBudapest,the Soviets took away most of the Hungarian People's Army's equipment, including dismantling the entire Hungarian Air Force, because a sizable percentage of the Army fought alongside the Hungarian revolutionaries. Three years later in 1959, the Soviets began helping rebuild the Hungarian People's Army and resupplying them with new arms and equipment as well as rebuilding the Hungarian Air Force. Satisfied that Hungary was stable and firmly committed once again to the Warsaw Pact, the Soviets offered the Hungarians a choice of withdrawal for all Soviet troops in the country. The new Hungarian leader,János Kádár,asked for all the 200,000 Soviet troops to stay, because it allowed thesocialistHungarian People's Republicto neglect its own draft-based armed forces, quickly leading to deterioration of the military. Large sums of money were saved that way and spent on feel-good socialist measures for the population, thus Hungary could become "the happiest barrack"in theSoviet Bloc.Limited modernization though, would happen from the mid-1970s onward to replace older stocks of military equipment with newer ones. Thus enabling the HPA, in a small way, to honor its Warsaw Pact commitments coupled with a mid-1980s organization which abolished divisions and replaced them with ground force brigades and a singular air force command.

The HPA was divided into the Ground and Air Forces. Until 1985, the Ground Forces were organized into:

Air Forces Headquarters atVeszprém

Training for conscripts was poor and most of those drafted were actually used as a free labour force (esp. railway track construction and agricultural work) after just a few weeks of basic rifle training. Popular opinion grew very negative towards the Hungarian People's Army and most young men tried to avoid the draft with bogus medical excuses.

The 1990s and Twenty-first century

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In 1997, Hungary spent about 123 billion HUF (US$560 million) on defence. Hungary became a member ofNATOon 12 March 1999. Hungary provided airbases and support forNATO's air campaignagainstSerbiaand has provided military units to serve inKosovoas part of the NATO-ledKFORoperation. Hungary has sent a 300 strong logistics unit toIraqin order to help the US occupation with armed transport convoys, though public opinion opposed the country's participation in thewar.One soldier waskilled in actiondue to a roadside bomb in Iraq. The parliament refused to extend the one year mandate of the logistics unit and all troops have returned from Iraq as of mid-January 2005. Hungarian troops were still inAfghanistanas of early 2005 as part of theInternational Security Assistance Force.There were reports that Hungary would most probably replace its old UAZ 4x4 vehicles with the modernIveco LMVtypes, but it never happened. Hungarian forces deploy theGepárd anti-materiel rifle,which is a heavy 12.7 mm portable gun. This equipment is also in use by the Turkish and Croatian armed forces, among other armies.

In a significant move for modernization, Hungary decided in 2001 to lease 14JAS 39 Gripenfighter aircraft (the contract includes 2 dual-seater airplanes and 12 single-seaters as well as ground maintenance facilities, a simulator, and training for pilots and ground crews) for 210 billion HUF (about 800 million EUR). Five Gripens (3 single-seaters and 2 two-seaters) arrived inKecskeméton 21 March 2006, expected to be transferred to the Hungarian Air Force on March 30. 10 or 14 more aircraft of this type might follow up in the coming years.

In early 2015, Hungary and Sweden extended the lease-program for another 10 years with a total of 32,000 flight-hours (95% increase) for only a 45% increase in cost.[34]

Zrínyi 2026 Modernization Program

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Hungarian soldiers on exercise

In 2016, PMOrbánconfirmed that Hungary will meet its NATO obligations by increasing its defense spending to about 2 percent of GDP. The official government "Zrínyi2026 "program of upgrading military equipment is scheduled to last until 2026, but the timeline has been expanded until 2030–2032.[35][36]New purchased and ordered equipment so far includes newCZ BREN 2 assault rifles(to be manufactured locally),helicopters,transportand trainer aircraft, tanks,armored vehicles,radarsand surface-to-air missiles.

Hungary ordered 20H145Mand 16H225Min 2018.[37][38]All H145M aircraft had been delivered by the end of 2021. H225M are expected to arrive between 2023 and 2024.

In early 2019 the first batch ofCarl Gustaf M4shas arrived, starting to replace the oldRPG-7s.[39]

In late 2019, Hungary signed a contract for 44Leopard 2 A7+tanks and 24PzH 2000howitzers for €300 million to be delivered in 2021 to 2025. In 2020 Hungary andRheinmetall Grouphave signed a contract to start manufacturing theLynx infantry fighting vehiclefamily in Hungary. Estimated to start arriving around 2024–2025, the first batch of 200+ Lynx vehicles are expected to reach operational capability in the Hungarian Defence Forces by 2026-2027[40][41]

In 2020 the Hungarian airforce ordered twoKC-390cargo and tanker aircraft to be delivered in 2023 and 2024.[42]This yearKongsbergandRaytheonwere awarded a 410 million EUR contract by Hungary forNASAMSsurface-to air missile systems.[43]11ELM-2084radars were also ordered in late 2020.[44]TheMistralSAM system has been upgraded: new M3 missiles were purchased and both the launchers and the MCPs were modernized.[45]

Hungarian special forces

In 2021Spike LR2anti-tank missiles has been ordered, mainly for the Lynx IFVs.[46]In August 2021 contract has been signed with SAAB to upgrade the Hungarian Gripen fleet to the MS20 Block 2 standard. This upgrade greatly increases both Gripen's combat and communication capabilities, as well as access to a wide range of weapons that can be integrated on Hungarian Air Force Gripen fighters.[47]The cutting edgeIRIS-Tmissile has been also ordered in 2021.[48]MeteorandGBU-49is planned to be purchased for the Gripen's arsenal. There is a plan to also set up a second fighter squadron, but it has not been confirmed.[49]

  • CZ BREN 2 - standard-issue rifle of the Hungarian Armed Forces
    CZ BREN 2 - standard-issue rifle of the Hungarian Armed Forces
  • Gripen fighters of Hungary
    Gripen fighters of Hungary
  • Hungarian Lynx IFV
    Hungarian Lynx IFV
  • Hungarian Leopard 2A4
    Hungarian Leopard 2A4
  • Hungarian H145M on exercise
    Hungarian H145M on exercise
  • Hungarian H225M
    Hungarian H225M

Current international missions

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The Hungarian Defence Forces currently takes part in the following international missions:[50]

Other missions include:United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon,EUNAVFOR MED,MINURSOandEUMM

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toHungarian Defence Force.

Citations

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  1. ^Csákváriné Kottra, Györgyi (2011).Magyar zászlók a honfoglalástól napjainkig.Budapest: Kossuth Kiadó. p. 99.ISBN978-963-09-6494-4.
  2. ^Tarján M., Tamás."1848. május 16. | A Batthyány-kormány megalapítja a magyar honvédsereget".Rubicon.Retrieved9 June2014.
  3. ^HM Igazgatási és Jogi Főosztály, ed. (5 May 1990). "A honvédelmi miniszter 2/1990. (III. 31.) HM rendelete a honvédségi szervezetek elnevezéséről és bélyegzőhasználatáról".Honvédségi Közlöny.46(7). Zrínyi Katonai Könyv- és Lapkiadó: 137.
  4. ^"1990. évi XVI. törvény a Magyar Köztársaság Alkotmányának módosításáról".1000 év törvényei.Archived fromthe originalon 14 July 2014.Retrieved9 June2014.
  5. ^"Error"(PDF).
  6. ^"2013. évi XCVII. törvény a honvédségi adatkezelésről, az egyes honvédelmi kötelezettségek teljesítésével kapcsolatos katonai igazgatási feladatokról.Zrínyi 2026 is a plan,to enlarge the number military personers to 40.000".CompLex Hatályos Jogszabályok Gyűjteménye.Archived fromthe originalon 14 July 2014.Retrieved9 June2014.
  7. ^Katonai alapismeretek(PDF).Budapest: Zrínyi Kiadó. 2010. p. 5.ISBN978-963-327-490-3.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2011-12-17.Retrieved2014-06-09.
  8. ^"Parliament approved the number of professional military personnel of the Hungarian Defence Forces".honvedelem.hu.Archived fromthe originalon 2021-11-06.
  9. ^"About Hungary - Hungary to increase its military reserves to 20,000 by 2026".2 October 2017.
  10. ^IISS 2020,p. 116.
  11. ^ab"Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky noted that together with the National Defence Fund, the 2024 defence budget passed by the National Assembly includes HUF 1823.1 billion. (1823.1 / 348.9 (USD/HUF exch. rate) = $5.23 billion".18 Jan 2024.
  12. ^Stockholm International Peace Research Institute: Military Expenditure Database,sipri.org, accessed 18 July 2020 (download data for all countries from 1949 to 2019 as an Excel spreadsheet).
  13. ^IISS 2020,p. 115.
  14. ^"Hungary Focuses on Military Improvement to Meet NATO Requirements".hungarytoday.hu. 25 October 2018.Retrieved13 July2019.
  15. ^"Revised Hungarian IT Security Policy".National Cyber Security Center.Retrieved20 November2016.
  16. ^abMollo, Andrew,The Armed Forces of World War II,Crown, 1981, New York, p. 207.ISBN0-517-54478-4.
  17. ^"Honvédelmi közlöny"[National defense bulletin](PDF).Honvédelmi közlöny(in Hungarian) (Ministry of Hungarian Defence Forces): 1050–1051. 7 September 2021.
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References

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Further reading

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  • Matei, Florina Cristiana. "The impact of NATO membership on military effectiveness: Hungary" In The Routledge handbook of civil-military relations, pp. 219–231. Routledge, 2013.
  • Martinusz, Zoltan. "Defense Reform in Hungary: A Decade of Strenuous Efforts and Missed Opportunities." in Gyarmati & Winkler, eds., Post-Cold War Defense Reform: Lessons Learned in Europe and the United States (2002).
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