The Transformation of the Hungarian Defence Forces
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35926/HDR.2025.1.1Kulcsszavak:
armed forces transformation, defence sector modernisation, security environment, Hungarian Defence ForcesAbsztrakt
With the end of the Cold War, Hungary, like most European nations, allowed its considerable military capability to decline. As international crises followed each other in the early 21st century, the country’s leadership realised that Europe’s security situation was deteriorating and a credible deterrent force was needed to protect national borders and sovereignty. The Hungarian Defence Forces embarked on an ambitious transformation program in 2017, the two pillars of which are the modernisation of the entire defence sector and the creation of armed forces superior to all possible opponents. The paper provides a brief overview of the HDF transformation process that has taken place so far.
Hivatkozások
• Balmforth, Tom: Ukraine builds layered air defences as Russia ramps up strikes. Reuters, 20 June 2023. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-builds-layered-air-defencesrussia-ramps-up-strikes-2023-06-20/ (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Böröndi, Gábor: Az európai védelmi architektúra jövője (The future of European defence architecture). Honvédségi Szemle, Vol. 152, No. 2 (2024), 3–6. https://kiadvany.magyarhonvedseg.hu/index.php/honvszemle/issue/view/146/147 (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Böröndi, Gábor – Gazdag, Erika: Road to Hungary’s EU Presidency: a Snapshot on the European Security. Hadtudomány, Vol. 34, No. 1 (2024), 3–11.
• Consulate General of Hungary in Los Angeles: Hungary and the World. [no year]. https://losangeles.mfa.gov.hu/eng/page/hungary-and-the-world (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Fix, Liana – Kapp, Caroline (2024): As NATO Countries Reach Spending Milestone, Is 2 Percent Enough? Council on Foreign Relations, 28 June 2024. https://www.cfr.org/expert-brief/natocountries-reach-spending-milestone-2-percent-enough (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Franke, Ulrike: Drones in Ukraine: Four lessons for the West. European Council of Foreign Relations, 10 January 2024. https://ecfr.eu/article/drones-in-ukraine-four-lessons-for-the-west/ (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Gardner, Frank: Ukraine war: Is the tank doomed? BBC, 7 July 2022. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61967180 (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Government of Hungary: A Kormány 1298/2017. (VI. 2.) Korm. határozata a Zrínyi 2026 Honvédelmi és Haderőfejlesztési Program megvalósításáról (Government resolution 1298/2017.
(02/06) on the execution of the Zrínyi 2026 Defence and Military Development Program). 2017. https://magyarkozlony.hu/dokumentumok/1cb5b97a816d3757b350ef71bc589d931c1ec4d2/megtekintes (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Government of Hungary: 1163/2020. (IV. 2.) Korm. határozat Magyarország Nemzeti Biztonsági Stratégiájáról (Government resolution 1163/2020 (21/04) on Hungary’s National Security Strategy), 2020. https://honvedelem.hu/hirek/government-resolution-1163-2020-21st-april.html (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Government of Hungary: 1393/2021. (VI. 24.) Korm. határozat Magyarország Nemzeti Katonai Stratégiájáról (Government Resolution 1393/2021 (24/06) on the National Military Strategy of Hungary), 2021. https://defence.hu/news/national-military-strategy-of-hungary.html (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Hawkins, Derek: See which NATO countries spend less than 2 percent of their GDP on defense. The Washington Post, 8 July 2024. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/12/natocountries-defense-spending-gdp-trump/ (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Colonel Kuzma, Gregory: A Culture of Modernization is a mindset, not a buzz phrase. Air Force, 13 January 2022. https://www.af.mil/News/Commentaries/Display/Article/2899139/a-culture-ofmodernization-is-a-mindset-not-a-buzz-phrase/ (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Martin, Tim: With an eye on Ukraine, head of British Army says ‘mass is still indispensable’. Breaking Defense, 27 June 2023. https://breakingdefense.com/2023/06/with-an-eye-on-ukrainehead-of-british-army-says-mass-is-still-indispensable/ (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Michta, Andrew A.: Mass still matters: What the US military should learn from Ukraine. New Atlanticist, 3 October 2023. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/mass-still-matters-what-the-us-military-should-learn-from-ukraine/ (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Nagy, Dávid: Development of the Hungarian Defence Forces since 1989. Danube Institute, 2022. https://danubeinstitute.hu/en/research/development-of-the-hungarian-defence-forces-since-1989 (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• General Rainey, James E.: Continuous Transformation. Military Review, No. 5 (2024), https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/military-review/Archives/English/September-October-2024/Continuous-Transformation/Continuous-Transformation-UA.pdf (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Rajagopalan, Rajeswari Pillai – Patil, Sameer: Future Warfare and Critical Technologies: Evolving Tactics and Strategies. Observer Research Foundation, 12 February 2024. https://www.orfonline.org/research/future-warfare-and-critical-technologies-evolving-tactics-and-strategies (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Rickli, Jean-Marc – Mantellassi, Federico: The War in Ukraine: Reality Check for Emerging Technologies and the Future of Warfare. Geneva Centre for Security Policy, 5 April 2024. https://www.gcsp.ch/publications/war-ukraine-reality-check-emerging-technologies-and-future-warfare (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Lieutenant General Ruszin-Szendi, Romulusz: The Transformation of the Hungarian Defence Forces. European Security & Defence, 26 May 2023. https://euro-sd.com/2023/05/articles/31346/the-transformation-of-the-hungarian-defence-forces/ (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Stalder, Keith – Patterson, Dean: Reevaluating Modern Warfare: Lessons From Ukraine’s Air Defense Strategies. The Defense Post, 5 July 2024. https://thedefensepost.com/2024/07/05/ukraine-air-defense-strategies/ (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Stoll, Hunter – Hoehn, John – Courtney, William: Air Defense Shapes Warfighting in Ukraine. RAND, 22 February 2024. https://www.rand.org/pubs/commentary/2024/02/air-defense-shapeswarfighting-in-ukraine.html (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• The Military Balance 1991–1992. International Institute for Strategic Studies, London, 1991.
• The Military Balance 2014. International Institute for Strategic Studies, London, 2014.
• Vasyliuk, Oleksiy: Military fortifications in Ukraine – what comes next? Ukraine War Environmental Consequences Work Group, 29 January 2024. https://uwecworkgroup.info/military-fortifications-in-ukraine-what-comes-next/ (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Voitenko, Anna – Chalyi, Sergiy: Ukrainian soldiers, engineers toil round the clock to build defences. Reuters, 4 April 2024. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukrainian-soldiersengineers-toil-round-clock-build-defences-2024-04-04/ (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Williams, Sarah – Brawley, Simon: War and the future of war. UK Parliament, 7 January 2025. https://post.parliament.uk/war-and-the-future-of-war/ (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
• Wolf, Fabrice: Is the end of the battle tank in sight in the conflict in Ukraine? Meta-defense.fr, 25 April 2024. https://meta-defense.fr/en/2024/04/25/late-battle-tank-in-ukraine/ (Accessed: 15/01/2024).
