High-tech Norwegian missile system to strengthen Hungary’s air defence

Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said that maximizing the effectiveness of the system of air defence is key to the defensive capability of a country. Developed by Norwegian defence industry company Kongsberg, the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) – together with the missiles supporting the Israel-made Iron Dome system responsible for the air surveillance of the country – will provide the modern Hungarian Defence Forces with an advanced and combatworthy air defence capability, which, once it has entered service, will be efficiently performing Hungary’s air defence tasks.

The Minister of Defence pointed out that NASAMS is the most widely used one in the category of short-medium range surface-to-air missile systems, and the American AMRAAM missiles employed in the system are the most widely used assets, being at once part of the core weaponry of NATO fighter aircraft. One advantage of the system is that its radars and launchers are spread at great distances, which makes it extremely difficult for targeted aircraft to defend themselves against it, and for hostile forces to locate and neutralize its components, as opposed to traditional surface-to-air missile systems.

According to the minister, the Hungarian Defence Forces are about to procure 6+1 fire units, which will enter service with the HDF 205th Surface-to-Air Missile Regiment of Győr. Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky also said that he had met Hungarian soldiers from the Győr-based SAM Regiment participating in the pre-delivery test of the NASAMS. The official handover of the equipment in Hungary is scheduled for August.

(Press release of the Ministry of Defence)