Airforce Fighter Jets Say ‘Thank You’ to Comrades in Fly-past

Pilots of the Szentgyörgyi Dezső 101st Airborne Brigade of the Hungarian Defense Forces conducted a year-end formation flight featuring ten JAS-39 Gripen fighters, writes Honvedelem.hu. On December 18, eight squadron aircraft were joined by the standby jets for a spectacular series of training flights. The formation carried out three sorties over the brigade in different patterns, a gesture of gratitude to their comrades for their dedication and service.

The JAS 39 Gripen is a lightweight, multirole fighter aircraft developed by Saab for the Swedish Air Force, known for its agility and advanced avionics. It achieves a maximum speed of Mach 2 (about 2,470 km/h) and boasts a combat range of approximately 800 kilometers, extendable with external fuel tanks. The Gripen features a fly-by-wire control system, a highly flexible avionics suite, and compatibility with NATO-standard weaponry, making it adaptable for air-to-air, air-to-ground, and reconnaissance missions. It incorporates advanced radar and electronic warfare systems, and a tactical data link for seamless networked operations.

Meanwhile, Hungary’s ground forces received a significant boost with the arrival of two Leopard 2A7 HU tanks and a Wisent 2 armored support vehicle in Tata (northwestern Hungary).

These vehicles, developed to meet Hungarian requirements, represent a continued modernization of the country’s defense capabilities.

The armored body of the Leopard is 7.7 meters long, and with the gun forward, the length of the tank is 10.97 meters. The width without additional armor is 3.76 meters and the height is 3.03 meters. Its firepower is provided by an L55A1 type Rheinmetall tank gun with a length of L55 gauge and a 120 millimeter gauge, allowing accurate firing from a range of up to 5,000 meters. The tank is also equipped with a 7.62 millimeter parallel-mounted machine gun, a 12.7 millimeter remotely operated machine gun, and 16.76 millimeter smoke grenade launchers capable of firing fragmentation grenades.

The Wisent 2 is developed by the German manufacturer Flensburger Fahrzeugbau. Built on the chassis of the Leopard 2 tank, the Wisent 2 is designed for multiple battlefield roles, including rescuing and towing damaged vehicles, crane operations, and trenching. Its modular design allows it to be converted from a tank destroyer to an armored support vehicle within five hours.

Minister of Defense Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky shared the news on his social media, emphasizing the importance of strong ground forces for national security. “Without strong ground forces, there is no strong defense and no security,” he stated.

Furthermore, the politician also announced on his social media platform that new high-tech H225M helicopters have arrived in Szolnok (central Hungary) to protect the Hungarian people. The jets are equipped with an integrated HForce weapon system, which can be used, among other things, to provide fire support to ground forces.

The year-end activities showcase Hungary’s commitment to strengthening its defense forces through advanced air and ground assets. The Gripen formation flight and the addition of cutting-edge combat vehicles underscore the country’s ongoing efforts to ensure readiness and security in an evolving geopolitical environment.

Via Honvedelem.hu; Featured image via Honvedelem.hu