Strong National Force, Secure Alliance

General Zsolt Sándor emphasised that the two complementary pillars of Hungary’s security are a combat ready national defence force and the collective security guarantee provided by NATO. It is therefore essential to pay particular attention to developing capabilities that stem from national interests, and which also meet Alliance requirements. The Chief of HDF Defence Staff identified the following as the most important military priorities for the coming period: the development of air and drone defence and air surveillance and control systems (ASACS), the further development of heavy brigade capabilities, and the strengthening of capabilities related to the Headquarters Multinational Division Centre.

He highlighted that the comprehensive modernisation of the HDF is aimed at ensuring the availability of a credible, modern and long-term sustainable armed force capable of carrying out the duties set out in Hungary’s Fundamental Law, and fulfilling the country’s international commitments. Equally important is the high-level operation and maintenance of capabilities already in service, for which the necessary support is provided by the government.

The Chief of Defence stressed that the HDF must continually develop, adapt and innovate. We need a force whose various components work closely together, share information rapidly, have precise situational awareness, and react flexibly to changing circumstances. All this strengthens Hungary’s security, and enables the HDF to participate even more effectively in NATO’s collective defence tasks.

As one of the key areas of technological development, General Zsolt Sándor highlighted artificial intelligence. He said that without artificial intelligence and the use of big data processing systems, no armed forces will be competitive in the future. “Without artificial intelligence and capabilities for processing large and complex data sets, an army is doomed from the get-go. We need to develop this faster than we have done so far,” he emphasised.

In addition to modern technology, the role of the prepared soldier is still decisive. Regarding the personnel, the Chief of Defence highlighted that the defence forces primarily need deployable soldiers trained for operational tasks. Accordingly, the training must also test the personnel in realistic conditions. The Chief of Defence pointed out that the value of an exercise is not measured by tasks carried out flawlessly. One of the goals of training is exactly to bring deficiencies to the surface under controlled conditions, and to enable soldiers and organisations to learn from them. “Failure in an exercise is good. It provides an immediate learning opportunity,” he said.

After the presentation, the military and defence attachés asked the Chief of Defence several questions. The professional exchange of views contributed to the strengthening of mutual awareness, and further deepened the cooperation between the HDF and the military representatives accredited to Hungary.