Jump to content

Hungarian Ground Forces

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Hungarian Army" redirects here. For other uses, seeHungarian Army (disambiguation).
Hungarian Ground Forces
Magyar Szárazföldi Haderő
Unit colourSmall vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flagSmall vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag
CountryHungary
AllegianceHungarian Defence Forces
BranchGround Forces
Size31,900 active duty personnel
Part ofHungarian Defence Forces
Garrison/HQSzékesfehérvár
ColorsRed, White and Green
Anniversaries29 September
Commanders
Current
commander		Brig. Gen.Gábor Lőrincz[1]

TheHungarian Ground Forces(Hungarian:Magyar Szárazföldi Haderő,Hungarian pronunciation:[ˈmɒɟɒrˈsaːrɒzføldiˈhɒdɛrøː]) constitute the land branch of theHungarian Defence Forces,responsible for ground activities and troops, includingartillery,tanks,Armoured Personnel Carriers(APCs),Infantry Fighting Vehicles(IFVs), andground support.The ground forces have a history of servicein Iraqand are currently engaged in theKFOR(Kosovo Force) operation.

The predecessors of the Hungarian ground forces include theRoyal Hungarian Landwehr,theRoyal Hungarian Army,and the ground force components of theHungarian People's Army.During theCold War,Hungary was aligned with theSoviet Unionand was a member of theWarsaw Pact.However, following thefall of the Soviet Unionin 1991, Hungary significantly reduced the number of tanks and troops and closed several garrisons. The Hungarian Army now focuses on national security, peacekeeping, and international conflicts. Notably, Hungary became a member ofNATOin 1999.

History[edit]

In 1963, the Ground Forces of Hungary comprised the5th Army,established in 1961 atSzékesfehérvár.This formation included the 7th Motor Rifle Division inKiskunfélegyháza,the 8th Motor Rifle Division inZalaegerszeg,the 9th Motor Rifle Division inKaposvár,and the 11th Tank Division inTata.Additionally, the34th Special Reconnaissance Battalionin Székesfehérvár operated as a sub-unit of the 5th Army. Another significant combat formation was the 3rd Army Corps inCegléd,which comprised the 4th Motor Rifle Division inGyöngyösand the 15th Motor Rifle Division inNyíregyháza.[2]

According to Michael Holm, the 3rd Army Corps stationed at Cegléd, designated asMilitary Unit Number6639, was established on 1 November 1966. It maintained the same organizational structure in 1970 and 1980. However, by 1988, it underwent restructuring, now comprising four mechanized infantry brigades, one tank brigade, one artillery brigade, and three artillery regiments (AA Missile, Anti-Aircraft Artillery, and Anti-Tank Artillery), alongside other smaller units.[3]

Following the dissolution of theWarsaw Pactin 1991, both the 5th Army and the 3rd Mechanized Corps were disbanded. The Hungarian Defense Forces inherited the assets and personnel of the Hungarian People's Army. However, owing to the altered geopolitical landscape and economic constraints, the Army underwent substantial force reduction and asset adjustments.[4]

After Hungary's accession to NATO, the procurement of newer and more modern multi-purpose equipment began. This included various vehicles, communication equipment, unmanned aerial vehicles, and the modernization of existing assets such as radar locators and anti-aircraft missile complexes.[5]However, the lack of resources in the armed forces limited significant improvements until the mid-2010s.

In 2021, the Hungarian Ground Forces completed their mission inAfghanistanand announced the conclusion of evacuations on August 26, 2021. Airlift operations successfully evacuated 540 people, including Hungarian citizens, Afghans, and their families who had previously worked for Hungarian forces.[6]Before the withdrawal, the number of Hungarian troops present in Afghanistan had already been reduced to ten.[7]

Structure[edit]

Main article:Structure of the Hungarian Defence Forces

As of 2020, the main combat formations of theHDF Land Commandare as follows:

Equipment[edit]

Main article:List of equipment of the Hungarian Ground Forces

Ranks and insignia[edit]

Main article:Military ranks of Hungary

See also[edit]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^"Magyar Honvédség Szárazföldi Parancsnokság - Honvédelem".21 December 2022.
  2. ^"Order of battle of the Hungarian People's Army, 1963".2.bp.blogspot(in Hungarian).
  3. ^Holm, Michael."3rd Mechanised Corps (3. Gépesített Hadtest)".ww2.dk.Retrieved24 November2020.
  4. ^"A megújuló honvédség"[Renewal of the Army] (in Hungarian).Retrieved2022-04-24.
  5. ^"2K12 KUB in Service of 12th Air-defense Missile Regiment".27 Nov 2012.
  6. ^"Hungary ends evacuations in Afghanistan after airlifting 540 people".Reuters.Retrieved5 August2022.
  7. ^"As US gears up to withdraw from Afghanistan, Hungary only has a handful of troops left there".REMIX NEWS.15 April 2021.
  8. ^"MH 1st Explosive Ordnance Disposal and River Flotilla Regiment".Honvédelem(in Hungarian).
  9. ^"MH 2nd Special Forces Brigade".Honvédelem(in Hungarian).
  10. ^"MH 5th Infantry Brigade".Honvédelem(in Hungarian).
  11. ^"MH 24th Reconnaissance Regiment".Honvédelem(in Hungarian). 9 March 2018.
  12. ^"MH 25th Infantry Brigade".Honvédelem(in Hungarian).
  13. ^abAdamowski, Jaroslaw (December 20, 2018)."Hungary signs deal to buy dozens of tanks, howitzers from Germany's KMW".Defense News.Retrieved4 May2020.
  14. ^"MH 37th Engineer Regiment".Honvédelem(in Hungarian).
  15. ^"MH 43rd Signal and Command Support Regiment".Honvédelem(in Hungarian).
  16. ^"MH 93. Petőfi Sándor Vegyivédelmi Zászlóalj".Honvédelem(in Hungarian).

References[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hungarian_Ground_Forces&oldid=1216269638"