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Lieutenant General Zoltán Mihócza

08:02 August 10, 2021

Personal 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

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Not a workforce but an added military capability

12:39 October 7, 2026

The task involved 979 Hungarian servicemembers working a total of 28,309 work hours with 145 items of equipment. They built in more than 22,000 cubic meters of stone material, ensured the delivery and handling of more than 38,000 tons of stone, and the job they have done in the Danube riverbed required special military capabilities for engineering, waterborne and air operations – reads the post on Defence Minister Dr. Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi social media page.

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Alliance – Also in Virtual Space

11:31 October 7, 2026

The first Hungarian-organized international military cyber security exercise, Digital Strike 2026 focused on the joint training of cyber defence operations specialists of the Hungarian Defence Forces and the US Ohio National Guard. The partnership between the HDF Defence Staff Cyber and Information Operations Directorate and the American unit dates back several decades, and this excellent bond between the two allies has now further strengthened in the virtual space as well.

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Croatian-Hungarian Joint Helicopter Training in Kosovo

14:53 October 6, 2026

The 1st Company of KFOR Tactical Reserve Battalion conducted a joint helicopter training with their Croatian allies in Kosovo. The goal of the training was to enhance interoperability among troop contributing nations of NATO’s mission in Kosovo and deepen the routine of air transport operations.

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Warship crews of three nations on River Tisza

14:02 October 6, 2026

In accordance with traditions, this year the Hungarian-Serbian joint warship training Live-Fire Exercise was carried out again. It was the participation of Romanian warship crewmembers that made the conduct of the training event special on the water shooting range of Titel, on the Serbian reach of River Tisza in late September: the nominated personnel of the Romanian Danube Flotilla joined the exercise in observer status.

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Hungarian culture at the heart of SHAPE

12:23 October 6, 2026

The Hungarian community awaited visitors with colorful cultural programs, traditional flavors and hospitality at the SHAPE Fest organized in Mons, Belgium. This time, the outstanding event of NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe also had a special guest visiting the Hungary tent. General Alexus G. Grynkewich, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) not only got introduced to Hungarian cuisine but also joined a spontaneous folk dance.

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Four World Championship Medals and Presidential Thanks

15:04 October 2, 2026

Hungarian military athletes won a total of one gold and three bronze medals at the 49th CISM World Military Fencing Championship held in Veszprém. The closing ceremony of the four-day world competition, which ended on October 1, was held in Balatonakarattya, where Colonel Nilton Gomes Rolim Filho, President of the International Military Sports Council (CISM), said thanks for the professional organization and management of the World Championship.

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Closing with Bronze Medal

13:17 October 2, 2026

The last day of the World Military Fencing Championship saw another Hungarian medal: our women’s foil team beat the Ukrainian one 45:35 in the competition for the third place. We congratulate the team composed of Sergeant Kata Kondricz, Sergeant Dóra Lupkovics, Corporal Flóra Pásztor and Reserve Sergeant Karolina Zsoldosi!

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Saab opens Aviation Development Centre in Hungary

13:11 October 2, 2026

Saab has opened its new Aviation Development Centre in Budapest to strengthen research and development (R&D) cooperation with Hungary by involving Hungarian expertise in the continuous development of Gripen aircraft.

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Another Bronze Medal for Hungary

12:53 October 1, 2026

Corporal Flóra Pásztor won a bronze medal at the 49th CISM World Military Fencing Championship. The foil fencer from the HDF Sports Company outclassed her two Polish opponents with a confident performance, but lost the bout to Italy’s Carlotta Ferrari in the semi-final, securing third place on the podium. On Wednesday, the third day of the World Championship, the men's foil team finished in the 6th place, the women's epeé team in the 7th, while Private First Class Gergő Horváth finished 17th in the men's sabre event.

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Know-How, Technology and Manufacturing Capabilities in Sirok

12:49 October 1, 2026

There is still a munitions factory operating in Hungary today. In Sirok. Besides, this is not a newly established plant: the history of munitions manufacturing in Sirok dates back more than seventy years, and the traditions of munitions manufacturing in Hungary can be traced all the way back to 1881, according to a post by Dr Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi, Minister of Defence, on his social media page.