| Hungarian Air Force | |
|---|---|
Hungarian Air Force logo |
|
| Active | 1918 – |
| Country | Hungary |
| Type | air force |
| Size | 5000 94 aircraft |
| Garrison/HQ | Budapest |
| Colors | red, white, green |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Brigadier General Albert Sáfár |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel | |
| Low visibility roundel | |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | Mi-24, Aero L-159 |
| Fighter | JAS-39 (Multirole fighter) |
| Interceptor | JAS-39 |
| Trainer | Yak-52 , Aero L-159 , Robinson R44 |
| Transport | An-26, C-17 Globemaster III, Mi-8, Mi-17, |
The Hungarian Air Force (Hungarian: Magyar Légierő) is the air force branch of the Hungarian Army.
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Following the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in 1918, a small air arm was established operating surviving aircraft from Hungarian factories and training schools. This air arm became the Hungarian Red Air Force under the short lived Hungarian Soviet Republic, but was disbanded upon its downfall. [1]
Under the Treaty of Trianon (1920), Hungary was forbidden from owning military aircraft. However, a secret air arm was gradually established under the cover of civilian flying clubs. During 1938, the existence of the Royal Hungarian Air Force (Hungarian: Magyar Királyi Honvéd Légierő), was made known. The air arm was reorganized and expanded. On 1 January 1939, it became independent of the army. It subsequently participated in clashes with the newly established Slovak Republic and in the border confrontation with the Kingdom of Romania. In April 1941, operations were conducted in support of the German invasion of Yugoslavia and, on 27 June 1941, Hungary declared war on the Soviet Union. On 1 March 1942, the air force was returned to army control. In the summer of 1942, an air brigade was attached to the Luftwaffe's VIII. Fliegerkorps on the Eastern Front. Beginning March 1944, Allied bomber raids began on Hungary and progressively increased in intensity. Late in 1944 all efforts were redirected towards countering the advancing Red Army, but to no avail. All fighting in Hungary ended on 16 April 1945. [2]
A small air arm was organised along Soviet lines during 1947. Following the communist takeover, Russian military aid was stepped-up and a major expansion program initiated. When Soviet forces invaded to suppress the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, sections of the Hungarian Air Force attacked Soviet forces and resisted Russian attempts to occupy their bases. The resistance was short-lived and the air force was demobilized soon after. A reconstituted air arm was reformed in the following year, but initially only as an internal security force. Gradually, the air force was expanded again, but it remained an integral part of the army and was essentially a defensive force. The Soviets kept MIG 29s based at Tokol until 1991 to defend Hungarian airspace.
In mid-1993, three batches of the MIG 29s were delivered from Russia. They were based at Kecskemet. In 1994, a German gift of 20 MIL 24D/V's and 20 L-39's were donated. In 1997, Hungary undertook its first flying training course since 1956. The cost of the course was too high and was halted after the completion of only one course. Also in 1997 the MIG 23s and SU 22s were withdrawn from service. During the 1990s all combat aircraft were fitted with new Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems to enable operations in Western airspace. In April 2002, Hungary joined the NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) pilot training program. [3]
The current Hungarian Air Force is primarily just for defensive purposes. The flying units of the air force are organised into a single command, Air Command.
There are 3 Air Force bases (AFB) in Hungary.
Currently, there are only 4 operational, and 1 recently disbanded, air wings in the Air Force.
The 59th Tactical Fighter Wing is the fixed-winged part of the Air Force. The 59th consists of 2 Fighter plane Squadrons and 1 Transport Squadron.
There are two Fighter Squadrons in the 59th Wing, the "Puma" [cougar] and "Dongó" [bumblebee] Squadrons. The 1st SQN operates the JAS-39 and the 2nd SQN operates the MiG-29. The 3rd squadron is the air-transport squadron with AN-26.
The Hungarian Air Force is leasing-buying 14 JAS 39 Gripens, 2 of which are dual-seaters, for 12 years beginning in 2006. By December 2007 all the 14 jets had been delivered.
After the lease period expires, Hungary will own the Gripen.
This is the transport squadron of the 59th Wing. They operate:
The An-26s are due to be replaced by new transport planes after 2011–2015.
The 86th Wing is the helicopter regiment of the Hungarian Air Force. The 86th consists of one Transport and one Attack battalion.
This is the transport helicopter battalion of the 86th Wing. They operate:
This is the attack helicopter battalion of the 86th Wing. This unit has recently been disbanded and a new regiment, in combination with the transport helicopters, will be formed. They operated:
This is the training squadron of the 86th Wing. This squadron is already based at Szolnok AFB again. They operate:
The 12th Air Defense Missile Brigade is in charge of providing air defense to parts of Hungary.
During the Cold War period communist Hungary had numerous SA-2, SA-3 and SA-4 batteries and a large number of radar installations, mostly tasked with defending the Danube line against NATO air strikes.
The 1st Logistic and Support Battalion was established on 1 October 2000 by the Hungarian Defence Forces (HDF). Its goal is to provide the operating conditions of the Air Force Command, as well as organizing and executing the related activities. Conducting garrison duties, executing a partially independent financial management, and supplying the designated military organization. Procuring, storing, handling and maintaining the material stocks of the HDF Air Force Command and the Regiment, and preparing the subordinate units by establishing the basis for higher readiness level. [4]
Pápa Air Force Base was established as a military organization on 1 July 2001 as a part of national commitments in the NATO Infrastructural Development Program, and it is the legal successor of the HDF 47th Pápa Tactical Fighter Regiment.
| Aircraft | Photo | Origin | Type | Versions | In active service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fighter Aircraft | ||||||
| Saab JAS 39 Gripen | Sweden | fighter
trainer |
JAS 39C JAS 39D |
12[1] 2[1] |
With completely new system software fit, known as Version 19. | |
| Transport | ||||||
| Boeing C-17 Globemaster III | United States | NATO strategic transport | C-17A | 3 | Under NATO Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) program with Hungarian Air force marking and international staff. | |
| Antonov An-26 | Ukraine | tactical transport | An-26 | 5[1] | to be replaced between 2011–2014, C-27J or second-hand C-130H. | |
| Trainer Aircraft | ||||||
| Aero L-39 Albatros | Czechoslovakia | attack / trainer | L-39ZO | 8 | 12 new built and 20 former East German Air Force delivered. | |
| Aero L-159 Alca | Czech Republic | attack / trainer | L-159B | 2[2] | since 2003 (hired from the Czech Air Force) | |
| Yakovlev Yak-52 | Soviet Union Romania | trainer | Yak-52 | 11 | ||
| Training Helicopter | ||||||
| Robinson R44 | United States | training helicopter | R44 | 3 | ||
| Transport and Attack Helicopters | ||||||
| Mil Mi-17 | Soviet Union Finland | transport helicopter | Mi-17N
MI-17P Mi-8T |
2
5 2 |
All Mi-17s upgraded. 2 Finnish Air Force Mi-8Ts were donated by Finland in August 2011. | |
| Mil Mi-8 | Soviet Union | transport helicopter | Mi-8 | 8 | 10 more new helicopters will be ordered in 2011 to replace the Mi-8s. Some Mi-8s were sold to Ethiopia and Peru. | |
| Bell UH-1N Twin Huey | United States | light transport | UH-1N | 30[3] or 32[4] | From the USMC in the close future | |
| Mil Mi-24 | Soviet Union Germany | attack helicopter | Mi-24D
Mi-24V Mi-24P |
12[1] | Germany inherited 51 Mi-24 from GDR some sold to Hungary. All Mi-24V will be upgraded to Mi-35 after 2010. (NATO caliber development process ) | |
| UAV's | ||||||
| Elbit Skylark | Israel | UAV | Skylark I | 9 | Hand-launched "disposable" mini electric UAV for the Afghan theatre ground troops. One was shot down in combat in Afghanistan. | |
There are also a number of Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21's, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23's, Sukhoi Su-22's and MiG-29's in stock. These are being stored open air and no longer airworthy.
The Hungarian aircraft marking is a set of aligned triangles which points toward the front of the aircraft. They are the same colour as the Hungarian flag, red, white, and green. The innermost triangle is green, follow by white, and then red. It is displayed on the side of helicopters and in the standard four wing positions on aircraft. It was used by the Royal Hungarian Air Force until 1942, and then reinstated after the Second World War. The new Gripen fighters will wear a NATO standard compliant grey-on-grey (low-visibility) version of the Hungarian triangle insignia.
The 86th "Szolnok" Helikopterezred maintains the Museum of Hungarian Aviation, which has the largest collection of "retired" military aircraft in Hungary. Some aircraft are also displayed at the Kecel Military History Park.
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