Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky: the combat readiness of Hungarian armed forces must be the best

Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said that “we live in an era of dangers”. Putting young officers and NCOs in leadership and command positions is indispensable for the enhancement of the Hungarian armed forces’ combat readiness”, emphasized the minister.

During their development, the armed forces continuously receive new and cutting-edge digital equipment, and to operate it we need officers and NCOs who speak foreign languages and have international experience as well as modern qualifications. The same kind of people are needed to apply tactics that can be learned in modern conflicts. The minister noted that commanders also need to be in top physical shape to be able to keep up with their troops.

Military equipment keeps arriving, pointed out Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky. He noted that the Leopard tanks “have already been delivered to us”. Having been recently introduced, the Lynx armored combat vehicles represent state-of-the-art technology; they will enter service with the Hungarian armed forces on the first occasion and are to be manufactured in Hungary. Furthermore, this year the air defence branch will receive radar systems of the kind that are used in the famous Israeli Iron Dome. The missiles related to them will safeguard the airspace of Hungary to full extent, the minister went on saying.

The minister stated that besides the above, they have a ten-year plan for the future in which items of cutting-edge equipment representing state-of-the-art technology will be delivered to Hungary.

Speaking about the war in Ukraine, Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky emphasized that it must be thought through what can and must be done to guarantee the Hungarian people’s security. It is important that the combat readiness of the Hungarian armed forces be the best at all times, he stated.

It must also be taken into consideration that in a given case, Hungary must protect its borders drawing on the defence alliance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), but with its own armed forces, or at least it must show sufficient deterrent force so that its security could not be threatened from any direction. “For this reason, we don’t have time to wait or hesitate. We must bring the Hungarian armed forces to their highest possible readiness posture in the shortest possible time”, stated the minister.