The vehicles are able to perform all levels of missions, be it reconnaissance, chemical defense, or troop transport.Continue reading
In times of war, the security of the country and the Hungarian people comes before everything else, Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said in a video posted on his Facebook page. He added that the 2024 budget was designed in and for times of war.
Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said that as defense minister, the security of the country is always his top priority, but it is different to say and guarantee this in peacetime and in wartime.
Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky. Photo: Facebook/Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky
He highlighted that his task was to guarantee the security of the Hungarian people, to enhance the country’s defense capabilities, and to strengthen the Hungarian defense forces. He stressed that the government will provide all financial support for these goals.
The Minister pointed out that the National Defense Fund would be strengthened.
This year, HUF 842 billion (EUR 2.2 billion) is being allocated to it, while next year HUF 1,310 billion (EUR 3.5 billion) will ensure that the country’s defense capabilities are constantly increased.
In addition, this sum will make it possible to continue to develop the armed forces, and for new weapons systems to arrive in Hungary that are put into service. Meanwhile, armed forces will be kept at a constant state of readiness. The Minister added that
defense spending will also exceed the two percent level expected by NATO in 2024.
Szalay-Bobrovniczky emphasized in his video that the Russian-Ukrainian war has been going on for a year and a half, and that peace and security, which were once natural, were now fragile. He added that very large forces, great powers, are doing their utmost to involve Hungary in the war. “However, we will persevere and we will not allow the security of the Hungarian people to be jeopardized and the country to be dragged into war,” the Defense Minister underlined.
As the Minister has repeatedly stated, the Hungarian army is constantly being renewed. As part of this, German giant Rheinmetall is a supplier of modern combat equipment (Lynx KF41 infantry fighting vehicle) to the Hungarian Defense Forces, and operates a combat vehicle production unit in the Westren town of Zalaegerszeg.
Honvédelem.hu‘s Military Technology magazine was just discussing the KF41 Lynx vehicle, which they said would bring the 21st century to its users. According to the magazine, the KF41 Lynx is a true state-of-the-art vehicle, perfectly in line with the culture change that has begun in the defense forces, which aims to provide a modern, brave, innovative and high-tech force to defend Hungary when needed.
As pointed out in the video, NATO grades such vehicles on a scale of 1 to 6, with the Lynx being a level 5.
One of the combat vehicle’s capabilities is that it can withstand the detonation of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and anti-tank mines containing the equivalent of 10 kilogram of TNT, while its occupants remain unharmed.
The 5-tonne armored vehicle is equipped with considerable weaponry, including a 7.62 mm parallel barrel machine gun, and two guided anti-tank missiles. The vehicle is excellent at negotiating terrain obstacles, be it a ditch or stairs, and can travel at speeds of up to 75 km/h.
Featured photo via Honvédelem.hu (Kertész László, Snoj Péter)