Lieutenant General Zoltán Mihócza
08:02 August 10, 2021Personal data:
Date of birth: 18 March 1962.
Place of birth: Budapest
Marital status: Married, with one child
Education:
1980 - 1986 Minsk Military Academy of Air Defense Missile Engineering, (Minsk, Belarus, USSR), certified radio engineer
1996 - 1997 ADA Officers Advanced Course, El Paso, Texas, USA
2004 - 2005 Air War College, Montgomery, Alabama, USA Master degree – strategic studies
Training Courses Attended:
1999 C-70 Chemical Defense Course, NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany
2000 I-32 Staff Officer Course, NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany
2001 C-29 MJLC Course, NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany
2002 NATO Logistics Course, Aachen, Germany
2007 Senior Leadership Course, George C. Marshall Center, Germany
2008 Defence Policy Course, Defence Academy, UK
2010 GFOAC Senior Leadership Course, NDC, Rome, Italy
Military career:
1986 - 1989 11/7th Air Defense Missile Division, Deputy Commander (Technical), Budapest
1989 - 1992 11th Danube Air Defense Missile Brigade, Maintenance Squadron Commander, Budapest
1992 - 1994 11th Danube Air Defense Missile Brigade, Chief of Maintenance, Budapest
1995 - 1996 11th Danube Air Defense Missile Brigade, Chief of Air Defense Missile Engineering, Budapest
1997 11th Danube Air Defense Missile Brigade, Chief of Military Engineering, Budapest
1998 HDF Meteorological Office, Chief Planning Officer, Budapest
1999 Defense Staff, Military Force Planning Directorate, Modernization Department, Research and Analysis Officer, Budapest
1999 - 2002 NATO Joint Forces Command, Group Headquarters J1/4, Logistics Planning Division, Senior Officer, Verona, Italy
2002 - 2003 MOD-DS, Force Planning Directorate, Modernization Division, Senior Officer in Charge, Budapest
2003 - 2004 MOD-DS, Secretary to the Chief of Integration, Budapest
2005 MOD-DS, Secretary to the Director of the Defense Staff, Budapest
2005 - 2006 MOD- DS, Military Planning General Directorate, NATO and Doctrinal Department, Head of Department, Budapest
2006 - 2010 MOD-DS, Operations and Training Division, Deputy Head of Division, Budapest
2010 - 2011 MOD-DS, Force Planning Directorate, Director, Budapest
2011 - 2013 HDF Office of the Military Representative, Military Representative, Brussels, Belgium
2013 - 2016 HDF Joint Forces Command, Acting Commander, Székesfehérvár
2015 - 2016 EUFOR, Chief of Staff, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
2016 - 2018 HDF Joint Forces Command, Chief of Staff, Székesfehérvár
2018 HDF Joint Forces Command, Acting Commander, Székesfehérvár
2019 - Headquarters of the Hungarian Defense Forces, Chief of Staff
Participation in operations:
2000 - 2001 KFOR HQ Pristina, Kosovo
2015 - 2016 EUFOR, Chief of Staff, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Honours:
1994 Officer Service Medal 3rd Class (10 years)
2001 NATO Kosovo Medal 2002 Service Medal for Peacekeeping
2003 Service Medal, bronze grade
2003 Officer's Service Medal 2nd Class (20 years)
2004 NATO Service Medal 2005 Service Medal gold grade
2008 Service Medal decorated with Laurel Wreath
2010 Officer's Service Medal 1st Class (30 years )
2013 NATO Service Medal
2015 Hungarian Cross of the Order of Merit, military section
2016 EU CSDP Service Medal
2017 Migration Crisis Management Service Badge
2018 US Air Force Command Staff College, International Hall of Fame Member
2019 Gyula Sipos Award of the City of Székesfehérvár
Language skills:
English: STANAG 6001 4.4.4.4
Russian: advanced level, military interpreter
Locked Shields 2026: Hungarian–Korean cyber security team has learned valuable lessons
14:56 May 19, 2026
Organized annually since 2010 by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE), Locked Shields is one of the world’s largest and most complex cyber security exercises, which tests the participating nations’ technical, strategic, legal and communicative response capabilities under real-time cyberattacks.
The future is for the children – international celebration in Belgium SHAPE community
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This year, too, the NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) held a spectacular event in Mons, Belgium on the occasion of World Children’s Day. During the celebration, the children of allied nations presented their cultural and musical values on stage.
Mythic venues, legends and heroes
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Katsuhiko “Katsu” Tokunaga captured, in his photos, these specially painted aircraft – including the JAS 39 Gripen fighters of the Hungarian Defence Forces – flying above the Greek landscape as participants of the multinational Exercise NATO Tiger Meet 2026.
In the air, on the ground, in alliance
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Italian Centauro combat vehicles, Leopard tanks, as well as H145M and H225M helicopters were roaring on the Zero Point shooting range and training area on 13 May. Part of the multinational NATO Forward Land Forces Battle Group (NATO FLF BG HUN) arrived in the training area as air assault force, and then the whole personnel carried out a successful and coordinated live firing exercise with firearms, other weapons and tanks.
Cross Landing: the arrival of rotary-wing assistance
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EUFOR: Departing as a committed and successful leader
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Award in the spirit of the Hungarian-Italian partnership
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Colonel Mauro Bruschi, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations of NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR), received the Partnership Medal of Merit from Colonel Gábor Hangya, the senior Hungarian national representative to KFOR, in Pristina.
Change of Chief of Staff at NATO HQ Sarajevo
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Congratulations to Colonel Imre Szücs on officially assuming the role of Chief of Staff (COS) at NATO Headquarters Sarajevo.
Joint training for strengthening unity
11:33 May 14, 2026
Reservists of the HDF 4th Territorial Defence Regiment are intensively preparing for the upcoming international Exercise Platinum Wolf 2026.
On this and the far side of River Danube…
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Figuratively speaking, the ferries and combat vehicles of the Hungarian Defence Forces occupied River Danube on 11 May. They crossed Hungary’s largest river first at Meszes-Gerjen, and then at Fajsz, under cover of night. The wet gap crossing operation of the Lynx infantry fighting vehicles of the HDF 30th Mechanized Infantry Brigade was assisted by soldiers of the HDF 14th Engineer Regiment and the Ohio National Guard.