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

The Hungarians have Europe’s most modern helicopter fleet
12:17 July 16, 2025
The medium multirole helicopter fleet of the Hungarian Defence Forces has become complete with the arrival of the last two Airbus H225M helicopters. This is no longer a promise of the future, it is the reality of the present – announced Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky at the base of the HDF 86th Helicopter Wing in Szolnok on Tuesday. Our airmen perform their duties with the state-of-the-art helicopters of Europe – said General Dr. Gábor Böröndi, Chief of HDF Defence Staff.

The fleet is complete
12:32 July 15, 2025
The last two H225M helicopters have been delivered to the Hungarian Defence Forces. This is a huge step in the military development program. Already 16 H225M and 19 H145M high-tech helicopters are serving the defence of the Hungarian people – wrote Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky on his social media page.

Our Reservists in Serbia
12:27 July 15, 2025
The Hungarian Defence Forces 4th Territorial Defence Regiment participated with a platoon at the three-week Exercise Platinum Wolf 2025 held in the training area of South Base, Bujanovac, Serbia.

Strong Will Derives Only from Strong Faith
16:52 July 14, 2025
The Hungarian Defence Forces need impeccable soldiers who respect their mission and enhance their vocation’s honour with their exemplary service on every level, said Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky on Saturday at the oath-taking of the 355 soldiers graduating from the HDF NCO Academy in Heroes’ Square, Budapest.

Extraordinary training at an extraordinary venue
13:18 July 14, 2025
This time, the soldiers of the HDF Special Operations Command were exercising in the depths of the crystal-clear Lake Ohrid in North Macedonia, instead of River Danube. The Special Operations Task Units held their joint diver training, practicing underwater combat situations, raids and rescue situations in lifelike circumstances.

Start of Exercise Jolly Vihar 2025
13:12 July 14, 2025
Once again, the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters of the USAFE 56th Rescue Squadron and 57th Rescue Squadron landed on the tarmac of Pápa Air Base, Hungary.

Historic Meeting of Defence Ministers in Saudi Arabia
12:50 July 11, 2025
Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky recently held a discussion with His Highness Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, Defence Minister of Saudi Arabia, about deepening defence, military professional and military equipment relations between the two nations. This was the first meeting of defence ministers in the three-decade-long, constantly expanding and strengthening diplomatic relations of our countries.

NATO Conference Held in Budapest
11:22 July 11, 2025
Hungary is a reliable member of the Alliance, takes the development of the armed forces seriously, and meets the NATO Capability Targets – stated General Dr. Gábor Böröndi, Chief of HDF Defence Staff on the margins of the conference “Corps Land Enablers and Development Synchronization” (LEADS) organized by the NATO Allied Land Command (LANDCOM) in Budapest, Hungary.

Peace is not granted
16:48 July 9, 2025
“We are living in a decade where peace is not granted – it must be earned. Earned through strength, unity, and determination” – emphasized General Dr. Gábor Böröndi, Chief of HDF Defence Staf at the opening of the conference of NATO Allied Land Command (LANDCOM). The event is being held at Buda Castle Garden Bazaar, Budapest this week.

Hungarian-North Macedonian Defence Policy Discussions in Skopje
16:39 July 9, 2025
At the invitation of State Secretary of the North Macedonian Ministry of Defence Elizabeta Chupovska Ristova, MoD Deputy State Secretary for Defence Policy László Hajnik visited Skopje on 3 July. The official meeting aimed at deepening the defence policy dialogue between the two parties along the developing Hungarian–North Macedonian bilateral relations.