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 Air Defense Gunner Advanced Officer Course (Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas, USA).
2004 - 2005 US Air Force Command and Staff College (Montgomery, Alabama, USA)
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
NATO Defense College Visits Budapest
09:31 June 11, 2025
Headed by NDC Commandant Lieutenant General Max A.L.T. Nielsen, the Senior Course of the primary strategic-level educational facility of the NATO Defense College (NDC) visited Budapest to learn about Hungary’s foreign, security and defence policy priorities, as well as the directions of armed forces development. The delegation was received by Lieutenant General Ferenc Kajári, Deputy Chief of HDF Defence Staff.
Hungarian Rotating Presidency Begins: New Momentum for the V4 Military Cooperation
15:07 June 10, 2025
Regional challenges, common goals: these are what the Chiefs of Defence of the Visegrád Group recently discussed in the Polish capital, Warsaw. Cybersecurity, joint exercises and filling up the European Union Battlegroup (EU BG) by 2028 were discussed. At the end of the summit, Poland handed over the rotating presidency to Hungary. From now on, Hungary will lead the V4 cooperation for a year.
Hungary Hosts the Large-scale International Exercise Saber Guardian 2025
14:11 June 10, 2025
The Hungarian Defence Forces will participate in the large-scale international Exercise Saber Guardian 2025, a main venue of which is Hungary, with 800 soldiers, between 6 and 24 June. The exercise is part of the series of exercises DEFENDER25, organised by the United States Army Europe and Africa Command (USAREUR-AF).
Hungary is actively participating in strengthening NATO’s eastern flank
12:55 June 3, 2025
We have many such capabilities that we use to make significantly contributions to the defence of not only Hungary but also our Alliance system – stated Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky at the Vilnius Summit of the Bucharest Nine (B9) countries and the Nordic Allies.
Maintenance Agreement Concluded
16:03 June 2, 2025
Leopard Hungary MRO Ltd, a joint venture of MoD CURRUS Ltd. and KNDS Germany, recently concluded a maintenance agreement with the Hungarian Defence Forces regarding the latter’s main weapon systems.
ENDEX
14:05 June 2, 2025
The helicopter tactical Exercise Fire Blade 2025 has ended in Pápa. During twelve days, more than 300 servicemembers of the five participating nations and the four supporting nations completed 218 flight hours with close to 500 take-offs and landings.
Recognition for Hungarian Peacekeepers
14:58 May 30, 2025
The cooperation between the Danish contingent serving in the NATO mission in Kosovo and the personnel of the 32nd rotation of the HDF KFOR Contingent is exemplary. In recognition of this, on the occasion of the Danish contingent’s handover-takeover ceremony, Lieutenant Colonel Attila Nagy, Commander of the Hungarian contingent, presented a certificate of appreciation to the Danish Guard Forces of Camp Novo Selo, which hosts soldiers from both nations. As for the Danish contingent, they expressed their gratitude to the KFOR Tactical Reserve Battalion Support Company and First Lieutenant András Metzger for their outstanding cooperation during joint operations.
On new wings
14:49 May 30, 2025
“The Hungarian pilots have received new wings with the arrival of the first L-39 Skyfoxes. We are continuously developing the Hungarian air force as well, as the safeguarding of our airspace is of key importance. These L-39 Skyfox military training and light tactical aircraft strengthen not only the capabilities of the Hungarian air force but also at once the defence of Hungarian people” – wrote Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky on his social media page on 30 May.
C-17 Simulator Training – Now Also in Hungary
13:41 May 30, 2025
The ribbon cutting ceremony of the Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) C-17 Aircrew Training System Facility recently took place at the HDF 47th Airbase in Pápa. This is a milestone in training the professionals of the program, because the aircrews of C-17 aircraft can now conduct their proficiency and capability development simulator training also in Hungary.
Hungarian SOF troops on the African continent
12:20 May 30, 2025
In 2025, the Special Operations Forces (SOF) troops of the Hungarian Defence Forces are present at multiple locations again on the African continent. Besides performing training tasks in Somalia, they also participated in Exercise Flintlock 25 conducted in the West African region and in Exercise African Lion 25 held in Morocco. These engagements serve not only the strengthening of military cooperation but also the deepening of international presence.