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
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Hungary is committed to the Gidrán tactical vehicle, we continue to build our armed forces with the Hungarian-Turkish joint development, declared Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky following his visit to the Turkish Nurol Makina factory on 4 February.
Hungary–Türkiye Year of Science and Innovation starts with defence innovation topic
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We are forging closer ties within the distinguished strategic partnership between Hungary and Türkiye dating back to 2023 in the field of defence innovation as well – announced Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky after the constitutive session of the Hungary–Türkiye Defence Innovation Working Group in Ankara on 3 February.
Exemplary mission – recognition on Hungarian and international levels
11:58 January 30, 2025
In recognition of his outstanding performance as commander of EUFOR Operation Althea and for the achievements of the Hungarian Command Year, General Dr. Gábor Böröndi, Chief of HDF Defence Staff recently presented Major General László Sticz PhD with the Hadik Sabre memorial award.
We Are Strengthening the Hungarian Defence Forces and Defence Industry
11:50 January 30, 2025
The EDGE Group in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has numerous advanced defence solutions that could contribute to supporting Hungary’s strategic goals and defence needs, declared Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky. Following the UAE–Hungary Business Roundtable in Abu Dhabi, the defence minister signed a Letter of Intent on defence cooperation with the EDGE Group in the fields of defence innovation and research and development.
More than steel and concrete
15:12 January 27, 2025
“The Hungarian Defence Forces are an important and reliable NATO ally. We and the Italian armed forces consider each other as friends. We serve together in the Alliance and the European Union, and our troops often develop their capabilities together” – said General Dr. Gábor Böröndi, Chief of HDF Defence Staff at the inauguration of a new building of the NATO Forward Land Forces Battle Group (FLF BG) in Újmajor, Hungary on 26 January.
There Is No Lack of Patriots
15:01 January 27, 2025
Since Hungary has shifted to recruiting into the all-volunteer force, never have joined so many people the Hungarian Defence Forces in such a short time. As a result of the “I love it, I defend it!” recruitment campaign launched in June, the 4000th territorial defence reservist has already joined the HDF – announced Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky.
Western Force Heading East
13:19 January 23, 2025
The first units of nations participating in the large-scale NATO Steadfast Dart 2025 alert and deployment exercise started their journey to Romania in January. As part of the exercise, military convoys of the British Armed Forces are crossing our country in several turns during their deployment. On 21 January, three convoys with 150 soldiers performing logistical tasks arrived from the Pápa Air Base to the HDF 14th Engineer Regiment, Szentes in the early morning hours.
EUFOR: Successful Hungarian Command Year Comes to a Close
11:04 January 23, 2025
After one year, 21 January marked the end of Major General László Sticz PhD’s service as Commander EUFOR (COMEUFOR) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is the first Hungarian soldier to have been commander of EUFOR Operation Althea, the peacekeeping operation of the European Union. Last year’s service of the Hungarian commander and troops is meritorious, as they have demonstrated again their ability to carry out designated tasks on an international level. “This is a very important milestone in the history of the Hungarian Defence Forces” – said MoD Parliamentary State Secretary Deputy Defence Minister Tamás Vargha at the Change of Command Ceremony held in Camp Butmir, Sarajevo.
War Must Be Ended
14:12 January 21, 2025
The Russo-Ukrainian War going on for almost three years must be ended, said Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky at the reception held in the honour of the members of the Budapest Military Attaché Corps (BMAC) in the Bálna Defence Centre on 20 January.
Hungarian Defence Forces provide support to transiting Alliance forces
10:52 January 21, 2025
On 20 January at dawn, three British convoys arrived at the Rajka border crossing point. The personnel travelling to participate in the NATO Exercise Steadfast Dart 2025 in Romania are spending several days in Hungary. First, they are to be accommodated at the HDF 47th Air Base in Pápa, and then they will move on to Szentes.