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
Zoltán Kaszab takes over CSEL position at NATO Allied Command Operations
12:57 October 13, 2025
For the next three years, Chief Warrant Officer Zoltán Kaszab has assumed Command Senior Enlisted Leader (CSEL) position at NATO’s Allied Command Operations in Mons, Belgium. This is the first time that a Hungarian soldier has taken over the CSEL position at the NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE).
The “Top Gun” of Helicopter Pilots at Pápa Again
12:48 October 13, 2025
Hungary is hosting the Helicopter Tactics Instructor Course (HTIC), under the professional guidance of the Multinational Helicopter Training Centre (MHTC), for the fifth time at the HDF 47th Air Base, Pápa.
ADHU 25: Special Operations Forces on the ground and in the air
10:53 October 13, 2025
The operation of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) battle group was based on a fictitious story. During it, the SOF operators launched air and ground assaults to recapture Mezőkövesd airport – which had fallen into enemy hands – at the cost of an intensive firefight. This was one of the most spectacular elements of the multinational SOF Exercise Black Swan 2025, which forms part of country defence Exercise Adaptive Hussars 2025. Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky and General Dr. Gábor Böröndi, Chief of HDF Defence Staff also observed the operation on the spot.
Quick and professional medical care even under field conditions
15:33 October 10, 2025
Already on the second occasion in Hungary, the HDF Medical Centre and the Department of Experimental Cardiology and Surgical Techniques, Semmelweis University recently organized a training course for surgeons treating seriously injured patients. The international course was attended by about 30 civilian and military professionals in the field of military medicine from many parts of the world.
From Hungary to UN peace missions
13:48 October 10, 2025
Ridden with ethnic conflicts, the Republic of Conga is coming to life after a civil war. Public order is being restored, but the leaders of the country call for the assistance of UN peacekeeping forces – this is the fictitious scenario of the International Military Observers’ Course running in Szolnok, Tázlár and Kiskunhalas. Between 29 September and 17 October, 22 servicemembers from 13 countries are participating in the pre-deployment training course.
Neighbours 2025: multinational cooperation
11:44 October 10, 2025
The Hungarian–Serbian joint training Exercise Neighbours 2025 closed with a spectacular tactical phase. During the one and a half week spent in the military training area “Psuljanke livade”, near Paraćin, Central Serbia, emphasis was placed on multinational cooperation and the organization of joint operations, familiarization with each other’s equipment, as well as the analysis of lessons learned earlier.
They are capable of the most complex operations
11:39 October 10, 2025
The Hungarian Defence Forces have presented another set of capabilities at Exercise Adaptive Hussars 2025 – writes Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky on his social media page. The minister recently observed how the personnel of the HDF Special Operations Command recaptured an airport in cooperation with Bulgarian, Polish, Slovak and Slovenian Special Operations Forces.
Qatari Ambassador to Budapest Says Goodbye
13:30 October 9, 2025
Dr. Zsolt Kutnyánszky, MoD State Secretary for Force Development and Defence Policy received Qatari Ambassador Abdulla Falah Abdulla Nasser Al-Dosari on a farewell visit in his office on 8 October. László Hajnik, MoD Deputy State Secretary for Defence Policy, was also present at the discussion with the head of mission who is to leave Hungary upon ending his service in Budapest.
Enemy at the gates
12:06 October 9, 2025
The multinational Special Operations Forces (SOF) Exercise Black Swan 2025 is in full swing within the framework of Exercise Adaptive Hussars 2025. One of the recent phases involved an attack on the SOF main operating base located at Sármellék (Hévíz-Balaton Airport) in the early morning hours. The opposing force (OPFOR) attempted to penetrate into the base with drones and land force units, but the territorial defence reservists on guard duty in the camp and the SOF troops successfully thwarted this attempt in an intensive firefight and drove back the attackers. All the soldiers who had been wounded in action during the armed incident received professional medical care on the spot, and then were carried to the rear.
“The flame of excellence keeps burning in Budapest”
15:14 October 8, 2025
The groundbreaking ceremony of the World Aquatics Headquarters in Budapest took place on the premises of former Láng Machine Factory on 7 October. The organization has more than 200 member countries and will direct the global development of aquatic sports from the Hungarian capital city.