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

The United States is Committed but Europe Has to Do More
12:22 February 14, 2025
Hungary is significantly contributing to the collective defence of the Alliance, declared the defence minister in Brussels following the Meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence. Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky told us that in the international defence alliance, they had the opportunity to meet the new US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in person for the first time. We strongly support the position of the US Government regarding the conflict in Ukraine: the bloodshed must end, and efforts should focus on achieving peace as soon as possible, instead of prolonging the war, emphasized the defence minister.

Long-term Cooperation in the Field of CBRN Defence
12:19 February 13, 2025
As part of the bilateral cooperation within the Ohio–Hungary State Partnership Program, soldiers of the Ohio National Guard recently visited the HDF 102nd CBRN Regiment.

Challenge accepted!
09:52 February 13, 2025
…this sentence was uttered while Colonel Zsolt Kálóczi, Chief of Staff, HDF 86th Helicopter Wing was introducing the instructors of the NATO Air Command and Control (AirC2) Basic Course to the personnel.

The War Must Be Ended
09:48 February 13, 2025
“We welcome the USA’s voice at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting. We agree that the bloodshed must end as soon as possible, the war – instead of taking further steps towards escalation – must be ended”, wrote Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky on his social media page from Brussels on Wednesday evening. The minister declared that Hungary currently does not deem it realistic for Ukraine to join NATO.

Headquarters Multinational Division Centre reaches Full Operational Capability
12:52 February 11, 2025
“Strength is reflected not only in weapons and numbers, but also in the readiness and will to defend what we value highly” – emphasized Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky on Monday, 10 February, in relation with the Székesfehérvár-based Headquarters Multinational Division Centre (HQ MND-C) reaching Full Operational Capability (FOC).

Hungary Is Strengthened with 56 New Gidráns!
15:26 February 4, 2025
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
16:35 February 3, 2025
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.