Hungarian–Romanian Mixed Peacekeeping Battalion exercises at Újdörögd

“On this exercise, we managed to apply the lessons learned in the last 25 years on battalion level. Our cooperation with the helicopters of the Romanian and Hungarian air forces was a particular pleasure. During the 96 hours of continuous task execution, we have learned a lot of new lessons” – emphasized Major Dávid Szent-Imrey, the commander of the Hungarian–Romanian Mixed Peacekeeping Battalion.

Hungary and Romania agreed in Budapest on 20 March 1998 to set up a high readiness joint peacekeeping battalion to support international peacekeeping and humanitarian activities. The aim is to ensure that the two nations are able to deploy a joint force to perform various peace support and peace enforcement tasks.

The battalion has organized the “Wise Foresight” exercise every year since 1999, alternating its venue between the two countries, first in Arad, Romania in 1999 and this year in Újdörögd, Hungary.

In previous years, each nation participated in the exercise with a platoon-level force. This year saw the raising of the training level, so the two militaries were represented by almost a company-strong force each.

This year’s free-play exercise has offered an opportunity to use in practice the standard operating procedures that were worked out and drilled over the last 25 years. The main objective has been to practice the mission command of the multinational staff and subunits.

The complexity of the exercise – that took place around the clock for four days without interruption last week – was further enhanced during task execution with the use of unmanned aerial vehicles of both nations in coordination with ground forces, as well as with two Airbus H145 helicopters of the Hungarian air force and two IAR-330 helicopters of the Romanian air force.

The 2nd Grenadier Battalion of the HDF 30th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, the 191st Infantry Battalion of the Romanian 81st Mechanized Brigade, the HDF 86th Helicopter Wing, the Romanian air force and the HDF 47th Air Base contributed personnel to the operations.

Brigadier General Zsolt Molnár, Commander, HDF 30th Mechanized Infantry Brigade and Colonel Cristinel-Dumitru Colibaba, Commander, 81st Mechanized Brigade personally inspected the training event.

The Hungarian–Romanian Joint Peacekeeping Battalion is stationed on the national territories of the two troop contributing countries. Each side carries out its tasks with its own organized, standard weaponry, assets and military equipment. The command and control of the battalion is in accordance with NATO doctrines, with the leading positions being rotated annually between the two nations.

Having received a request from the United Nations Security Council, the OSCE or from an international organization cooperating with the two countries at the appropriate level, the battalion can be deployed to carry out international missions based on the joint authorization of the governments of Hungary and Romania.