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
Exercise series Adaptive Hussars continues – this year without troop movements
13:27 May 7, 2026
In synchronization with one of NATO’s major exercises, the Hungarian Defence Forces are conducting Exercise Adaptive Hussars between 4 and 15 May this year, this time without any significant troop movements.
Combating contamination
11:50 May 7, 2026
Exercise Purple Field has regularly been organized for nearly ten years in Serbia, where the specialist of the HDF 102nd CBRN Regiment have the opportunity to practice the phases of CBRN reconnaissance and decontamination in an actually contaminated environment. Prior to the large-scale exercise, the unit held a pre-exercise training session in Székesfehérvár on 6 May.
Mortar of the future
10:46 May 7, 2026
For the first time, the combat support company of the 39th Grenadier Battalion of the HDF 11th Motorised Infantry Brigade used the newly commissioned mortar system of the brigade on a live fire exercise. When coupled to the Arc Fire fire control system, the Hirtenberger 120 mm mortars provide big firepower as well as rapid and precise reaction capability.
Hungarian Contingent Leads CRC Exercise in Kosovo
10:54 May 6, 2026
Soldiers of the KFOR Tactical Reserve Battalion (KTRBN), spearheaded a large-scale international exercise in late April. The Hungarian contingent did not merely participate; they were the primary architects of the event, planning and directing the entire battalion-level training at Camp Vrelo.
Hungarian Gripens above Greece
13:02 May 5, 2026
The air force component of the Hungarian Defence Forces is participating with JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft at the multinational NATO Exercise Tiger Meet at Araxos Air Base, Greece. The close to two-week training event that started on 4 May has special significance in terms of strengthening Alliance cooperation.
The birth of a modern combat vehicle
12:56 May 5, 2026
The Lynx infantry fighting vehicles of the Hungarian Defence Forces are manufactured at Rheinmetall Hungary Zrt., Zalaegerszeg. There is precise human work behind the cutting-edge technology: welding, sanding, CNC, shot-blasting and assembly.
Preparing to leave for America
12:51 May 5, 2026
The Combat Readiness Exercise 26 will be organized in Michigan, the United States of America this July, and reservists from several territorial defence regiments of the Hungarian Defence Forces are going to travel there to participate in it. Their preparation is in full swing: after taking the mandatory inoculations, the soldiers developed and executed the operation orders (OPORDs).
The wings of the nation
12:03 May 5, 2026
The two newest Gripen fighter jets of Hungary have arrived from Sweden to further expand the fleet of the Hungarian Defence Forces, in which already 16 such aircraft are available. At the 29 April handover ceremony, it was stated that this type has unquestionably been the backbone of domestic airspace defence for several years.
“Jolly Vihar 2026” Reloaded
12:06 April 28, 2026
Experts of the U.S. Air Force’s 56th and 57th Rescue Squadrons and the HDF 47th Airbase worked out the HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter’s procedure for refuelling with a running engine (hot refuelling) during an almost one-year joint service.
Future top military leaders in NATO environment
12:03 April 28, 2026
The students of the military general staff training course at the Ludovika University of Public Service gained strategic-level experiences on their visit to the NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Belgium.