The
Hungarian Air Force ( ) is the
air force branch of the
Hungarian Army.
History
1918 - Pre-World War II
Following the dissolution of the
Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in 1918,
a small air arm was established operating surviving aircraft from
Hungarian factories and training schools. This air arm became the
Hungarian Red Air Force under the short lived
Hungarian Soviet Republic, but was
disbanded upon its downfall.
[249331]
World War II
Under the
Treaty of Trianon
(1920), Hungary was forbidden from owning military aircraft.
However, a secret air arm was gradually established under the cover
of civilian flying clubs. During 1938, the existence of the air
force (Légierő) was made known. The air arm was reorganized and
expanded. On January 1, 1939, it became independent of the army.
It
subsequently participated in clashes with the newly established
Slovak Republic and in the
border confrontation with Romania
.
In April
1941, operations were conducted in support of the German invasion
of Yugoslavia and, on June 27, 1941, Hungary declared war on the
Soviet
Union
. On March 1, 1942, the air force was
returned to army control. In the summer of 1942 an air brigade was
attached to the
Luftwaffe's VIII. Fliegerkorps on the
Eastern Front. Beginning March
1944, Allied bomber raids began on Hungary and progressively
increased in intensity. Late in 1944 all efforts were redirected
towards countering the advancing
Soviet
Army, but to no avail. All fighting in Hungary ended on April
16, 1945.
[249332]
Post-World War II - Present
A small air arm was organised along Soviet lines during 1947.
Following the communist takeover, Russian military aid was
stepped-up and a major expansion program initiated. When Soviet
forces invaded in November 1956 to suppress the
national uprising, sections of the
Hungarian Air Force attacked Soviet forces and resisted Russian
attempts to occupy their bases. The resistance was short-lived and
the air force was
demobilized soon
after. A reconstituted air arm was reformed in the following year,
but initially only as an internal security force. Gradually, the
air force was expanded again, but it remained an integral part of
the army and was essentially a defensive force. During the 1990s
all combat aircraft were fitted with new
Identification Friend or Foe
systems to enable operations in western airspace. In April 2002,
Hungary joined the
NATO
Flying Training in Canada pilot training program.
[249333]
Present day
The current Hungarian Air Force is primarily just for defensive
purposes. The flying units of the air force are organised into a
single command, Air Command.
Air Bases
There are 2 active Air Force bases (AFB) and 4 Reserve AFB in
Hungary.
Active
Reserve
- Pápa
AFB, 3 C-17
Globemaster aircraft to be based at Pápa as NATO flying unit with
Hungarian marking and international crew, from July
2009
- Taszár
AFB, a
former fighter base
- Tököl
AFB, a
former aircraft repairing facility and airport
- Szentkirályszabadja
AFB, a former helicopter base
Air Wings
Currently, there are only 4 operational, and 1 recently disbanded,
air wings in the Air Force.
- 59. "Szentgyörgyi Dezső" Harcászati
Repülőbázis (59th Tactical Plane Base) based at
Kecskemét AFB
- 'Puma' Harcászati Repülőszázad ('Puma' Tactical Squadron)
- 'Dongó' Harcászati Repülőszázad ('Bumblebee' Tactical
Squadron)
- Szállító Repülőszázad (Transport Plane Squadron)
- 86. "Szolnok" Helikopterezred
(86th Helicopter Regiment) based at Szolnok AFB.
- Szállitóhelikopter Zászlóalj (Transport Helicopter
Battalion)
- Harcihelikopter Zászlóalj (Attack Helicopter Battalion)
(DISBANDED)
- Kiképző Repülőszázad (Training Plane Squadron) (based at
Szolnok AFB)
- 12. Légvédelmi Rakétadandár
(12th Air Defense Missile Brigade)
- 1. Logisztikai és Támogató
Zászlóalj (1st Logistic and Support Battalion)
- Pápa AFB
59. "Szentgyörgyi Dezső" Harcászati Repülőbázis
JAS 39 of the Hungarian Air
Force
The 59th Tactical Fighter Wing is the fixed-winged part of the Air
Force. The 59th consists of 2 Fighter plane Squadrons and 1
Transport Squadron.
Harcászati Repülőszázad
There are two Fighter Squadrons in the 59th Wing, the "Puma" and
"Dongó" [wasp] Squadrons. The 1st SQN operates the JAS-39 and the
2nd SQN operates the MiG-29 and L-39. The 3rd squadron is the
air-transport squadron with AN-26.
The Hungarian Air Force is leasing-buying 14
JAS 39 Gripens, 2 of which are dual-seaters,
for 12 years beginning in
2006. By December
2007 all the 14 jets had been delivered.
After the lease period Hungary will own the Gripens.
Szállitó Repülőszázad
This is the transport squadron of the 59th Wing. They operate:
The An-26s are due to be replaced by new transport planes by
2010.
86. "Szolnok" Helikopterbázis
The 86th Wing is the
helicopter regiment
of the Hungarian Air Force. The 86th consists of one Transport and
one Attack
battalion.
Szállitóhelikopter Zászlóalj
This is the transport helicopter battalion of the 86th Wing. They
operate:
Harcihelikopter Zászlóalj
This is the attack helicopter battalion of the 86th Wing. This unit
has recently been disbanded and a new regiment, in combination with
the transport helicopters, will be formed. They operated:
Kiképző Repülőszázad
This is the training squadron of the 86th Wing. This squadron is
already based at Szolnok AFB again. They operate:
12. Légvédelmi Rakétadandár
The 12th Air Defense Missile Brigade is in charge of providing
air defense to parts of Hungary.
- NIIP/Vympel 2K12 "Kub". Mobile
Surface-to-air missile
battlefild (SAM) system. (To be refurbished with modernized BUK
missiles or replaced entirely with the US Patriot system, provided
the economic situation allows procurement.)
- Mistral missiles, a French-made
lightweight SAM system with dual launchers and radar sets mounted
on Unimog all-terrain vehicles.
- 36D6 Tin Shield. All-altitude
surveillance radar, modernized with domestically developed digital
electronics suite.
During the
Cold War period communist
Hungary had numerous
SA-2,
SA-3 and
SA-4 batteries and a large
number of radar installations, mostly tasked with defending the
Danube line against "imperialist" air strikes.
1. Logisztikai és Támogató Zászlóalj
The 1st Logistic and Support Battalion was established on October
1, 2000 by the Hungarian Defence Forces (HDF). Its goal is to
provide the operating conditions of the Air Force Command, as well
as organizing and executing the related activities. Conducting
garrison duties, executing a partially independent financial
management, and supplying the designated military organization.
Procuring, storing, handling and maintaining the material stocks of
the HDF Air Force Command and the Regiment, and preparing the
subordinate units by establishing the basis for higher readiness
level.
[249334]
Pápa AFB
Pápa Air Force Base was established as a military organization on
July 1, 2001 as a part of national commitments in the NATO
Infrastructural Development Program, and it is the legal successor
of the HDF 47th Pápa Tactical Fighter Regiment.
Aircraft Inventory
There are also a number of
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21's,
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23's,
Sukhoi Su-22's and
MiG-29's in stock. These are being stored open air
and no longer airworthy.
Aircraft markings
The Hungarian aircraft marking is a set of aligned triangles which
points toward the front of the aircraft. They are the same colour
as the
Hungarian flag, red, white,
and green. The innermost triangle is green, follow by white, and
then red. It is displayed on the side of helicopters and in the
standard four wing positions on aircraft. It was used by the Royal
Hungarian Air Force until 1942, and then reinstated after the
Second World War. The new Gripen fighters will wear a NATO standard
compliant grey-on-grey (low-visibility) version of the Hungarian
triangle insignia.
Museums
The
86th "Szolnok" Helikopterezred maintains the Museum of
Hungarian Aviation
, which has the largest collection of "retired"
Airforce craft.Some aircraft are also displayed at the Kecel
Military History Park.
Gallery
Roundels
Image:First Roundel of the Hungarian Red Air Force (1919).svg|First
roundel of the Hungarian Red Air Force in 1919.Image:Second Roundel
of the Hungarian Red Air Force (1919).svg|Second roundel of the
Hungarian Red Air Force in 1919.Image:Third Roundel of the
Hungarian Red Air Force (1919).svg|Third roundel of the Hungarian
Red Air Force in 1919.Image:Roundel of the Hungarian Air Force
(1938-1941).svg|Roundel of the Royal Hungarian Air Force between
1938 - 1941.Image:Roundel of the Hungarian Air Force
(1942-1945).svg|Roundel of the Royal Hungarian Air Force between
1942 - 1945.Image:Roundel of the Hungarian Air Force
(1948-1949).svg|Roundel of the Air Force of the Hungarian People's
Army between 1948 - 1949.Image:Roundel of the Hungarian Air Force
(1949-1951).svg|Roundel of the Air Force of the Hungarian People's
Army between 1949 - 1951.Image:Roundel of the Hungarian Air Force
(1951-1990).svg|Roundel of the Air Force of the Hungarian People's
Army between 1951 - 1990.Image:Roundel of the Hungarian Air Force
(1990-1991).svg|Roundel of the Hungarian Air Force between 1990 -
1991.Image:Roundel of the Hungarian Air Force.svg|Roundel of the
Hungarian Air Force from 1991.Image:Roundel of the Hungarian Air
Force (low visibility).svg|Roundel of the Hungarian Air Force, low
visibility version.
Kecskemét AFB
http://www.kepfeltoltes.hu/view/070727/05_1__www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg
http://www.kepfeltoltes.hu/view/070727/gn0000000D_1__www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg
http://www.kepfeltoltes.hu/view/070727/04_2__www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg
Szolnok AFB
http://www.kepfeltoltes.hu/view/070727/01_3__www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg
http://www.kepfeltoltes.hu/view/070727/gn000002AE_1__www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg
http://www.kepfeltoltes.hu/view/070727/gn000002B0_1__www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg
Pápa AFB
http://kepfeltoltes.hu/view/070727/02_2__www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg
http://www.kepfeltoltes.hu/view/070727/kep11_resize_1__www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg
http://www.kepfeltoltes.hu/view/070727/p1010065_resize_1__www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg
Hungarian MiG-29B
http://www.kepfeltoltes.hu/view/070727/Mig-29_1__www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg
Hungarian JAS-39C/D Grippen
http://www.kepfeltoltes.hu/view/070727/kep9_resize_1__www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg
Hungarian AN-26
http://www.kepfeltoltes.hu/view/070727/209_AN24_565_1__www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg
Hungarian Mi-8
http://www.kepfeltoltes.hu/view/070727/026_1__www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg
Hungarian Mi-24
http://www.kepfeltoltes.hu/view/070727/Mi-24_1__www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg
Image:Aero L-39 Albatros Airshow Radom 2007.jpg|Hungarian
L-39 AlbatrosImage:Mi-24 Airshow 2007 Hungary
01.JPG|Hungarian
Mi-24
References
- "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book
2007, Aviation Week & Space
Technology, January 15, 2007.
External links
| Aircraft |
| Photo |
| Origin |
| Type |
| Versions |
| In active
service |
| Notes |
|
|
Transport |
|
| Antonov An-26 |
|
|
tactical transport |
An-26 |
5 |
All of them are modernized. |
|
|
Fighter
Aircraft |
|
| Saab JAS 39 Gripen |
 |
|
fighter
trainer |
JAS 39C
JAS 39D
|
12
2
|
|
|
| Mikoyan-Gurevich
MiG-29 |
 |
|
fighter
trainer |
MiG-29
MiG-29UB |
28
|
|
|
|
Transport and Attack
Helicopters |
|
| Mil Mi-8 |
 |
|
transport helicopter |
Mi-8
Mi-17N |
16
7 |
All Mi-17s upgraded, 10 more new transport helicopters will be
ordered in 2011 to replace the Mi-8s. |
|
| Mil Mi-24 |
 |
|
attack helicopter |
Mi-24D
Mi-24V
Mi-24P |
20
29
2 |
All Mi-24V will be upgraded to Mi-35 after 2010. |
|
|
Trainer
Aircraft |
|
| Aero L-39 Albatros |
 |
|
trainer |
L-39ZA |
8 |
originally there were 19 in service, to be replaced by L-159
ALCAs in 2010 January. The remaining aircraft were withdrawn on
November 24th, 2009. Pilots will train on simulators until the
L-159 ALCAs enter into service. |
|
| Yakovlev Yak-52 |
 |
|
trainer |
Yak-52 |
11 |
|
|
|
UAV's |
|
| Elbit Skylark |
 |
|
UAV |
Skylark I |
9 |
Hand-launched "disposable" mini electric UAV for the Afghan
theatre ground troops. |
|
| WB Electronics SOFAR |
|
|
UAV |
SOFAR |
2 |
Order cancelled due to unsolved EM interference problems,
replaced by the Skylark I. |
Wikis
Quiz
Map
Search
