The Hungarian Air Force held an official reception ceremony welcoming the addition of two new Gripen fighter jets at the Kecskemet base of the Hungarian Armed Forces on Tuesday.
The Swedish-made aircraft arrived in Hungary on June 18, bringing the total number of Gripen fighters in the Hungarian Armed Forces to eighteen, MTI wrote. With the arrival of these aircraft, Hungary is also celebrating the 20th anniversary of Swedish-Hungarian military cooperation.
Defence State Secretary László Kürtös told the ceremony that Hungary and Sweden are connected by numerous ties beyond the procurement of the fighter jets, noting that both are members of the European Union and NATO, and that approximately 40,000 Hungarians live in Sweden “as respected members of society”.
Commenting on shared history, he paid tribute to “the brave Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, who prevented the deportation of thousands of Hungarian Jews during the second world war”. “We will never forget that after the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence, Sweden took in 8,000 Hungarian refugees,” he added.
Kürtös noted that the first JAS 39 Gripen jet arrived in Hungary in 2006, and since achieving full operational capability, the aircraft had played a key role in defending Hungarian airspace. Today, the jets are not only the backbone of Hungary’s air defence but also contribute significantly to NATO’s air policing missions over Slovenia, Croatia, Slovakia and regular deployments in the Baltic region, he added.
He said that in the current security environment, with Hungary bordering Ukraine, it was particularly important that with the delivery of the four new Gripens further strengthened NATO’s eastern flank.
Kurtos said Hungary’s commitments meant double the benefits for Sweden. Not only had Saab gained a loyal customer, with Hungary having pledged to keep the Gripens operational until at least 2036, but Hungary’s participation in Baltic air policing missions enhanced Sweden’s own security, he said.
“We are very pleased with the Saab Group’s flight development centre in Hungary, established for fighter jet software development, which presents an outstanding opportunity for the Hungarian aerospace industry,” the state secretary said.
Carl-Fredrik Edstrom, a representative of the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), described the Gripen as a reliable and cost-effective fighter jet designed for high performance with minimal space requirements. Thanks to continuous software, sensor and weapons upgrades, the system was capable of keeping pace with evolving threats, he said, adding that the newly delivered aircraft were significantly more advanced than those from 20 years ago, and future models would have even greater combat capabilities.
He said that as NATO allies, Sweden and Hungary envisioned future joint tasks that would go beyond aircraft deliveries, particularly in integrated air and missile defence.
Lars Tossman, director of Saab’s Business Area Aeronautics, emphasised that the Budapest flight development centre deepened a partnership that extended far beyond aircraft operations, becoming an integral part of Saab’s global Gripen development network and contributing to research and development of new technologies for the system.
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