German arms and French helicopter plant to open soon in Hungary

The cooperation between Hungary and German armed vehicle manufacturer Rheinmetall is faring well, with a plant in Zalaegerszeg, in south-western Hungary, slated to be inaugurated within the next two weeks and the construction of two ammunition plants planned to start soon in Várpalota, in central Hungary, the minister for technology and innovation said in Villepinte, near Paris, on Monday.

Rheinmetall

Speaking to MTI by phone on the sidelines of the Eurosatory defence and security exhibition, László Palkovics said that besides the production agreement, Rheinmetall has also signed a research agreement with Hungary, on developing a hybrid armoured infantry vehicle.

Airbus

Meanwhile, Airbus is opening a helicopter parts plant in Gyula, in southeastern Hungary, this month.

“Besides gun, ammunition and land vehicle manufacturing, Hungary has also put itself on the map of aircraft manufacturing,” Palkovics said.

Nurol Makina

Hungary has also bought 500 vehicles from Nurol Makina, a Turkish armoured vehicle manufacturer, he added. Of these, 50 have already been called up, and the first ten Gidrán-type armoured vehicles for support duties arrived in Hungary at the beginning of the year, while the installation of the remaining forty is expected to begin in Kaposvár in September.

The first 50 vehicles are still being manufactured in Turkey, but as the number of vehicles increases, more and more will be produced in Hungary, the minister said.

Last December, it was announced that the Hungarian Defence Forces would systemise more than 300 Gidrán 4×4 armoured wheeled military vehicles. The vehicles will also be produced in Hungary, in Kaposvár, on the model of the Turkish Nurol Makina Ejder Yalcin and NMS 4×4 military vehicles.

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Eurosatory, the largest defence exhibition in Europe, has drawn 1,700 exhibitors from 62 countries this year. Over 200 delegations and 100,000 visitors are expected. The exhibition runs between 13 and 17 June.