Find out how powerful Hungary’s military is – VIDEO
If you are interested in the military system of Hungary and how powerful it is, I would highly recommend checking this video by FTD Facts out.
YouTube channel FTD Facts made an interesting video on the Hungarian Defence Forces in order to find out how powerful Hungary actually is in terms of its military. Watch the video below.
Disclaimer: Keep in mind that this video was made in 2018, so the numbers might not coincide with today’s numbers.
The Hungarian Defence Forces
Honvédség, the Hungarian Defence Forces is the main body of defence in Hungary. The country has had a unified military since 1848. Unlike other armies, it consists of only ground and air forces; it has no navy as it is a landlocked country. The Hungarian Defence Forces are operating on a voluntary basis, as there is no conscription in Hungary during peacetime. In 2017, the budget for the military was around 350 billion HUF, which was approximately 0.9% of the GDP of the entire country.
Women are allowed to be part of all forms and ranks, and they actually made up 19% of the entire army in 2010.
Today’s forces in numbers
- Available manpower: 4,460,000
- Fit for service: 3,800,000
- Total military personnel: 46,700-85,000
- Active personnel: 29,700 (data from 2016)
- Reserve personnel: estimated 54,000 (data from 2018)
- 700 soldiers deployed around the world
Hungary’s air force units
- Total air strength: 35 units
- Attack fighters: 14
- Transports: 19
- Trainers: 4
- Total helicopter strength: 43
- Attack helicopters: 8
Ground Units
- Combat tanks: 164 (32-34 in use)
- Armoured fighting vehicles: 1,123
- Towed artillery: 300
- Rocket projectors: 65
The primary fighting vehicle of Hungary is the BTR-80, which is an 8×8 wheeled amphibious armoured personnel carrier designed in the Soviet Union. Hungary is actually the third-largest operator of this vehicle in the entire world. Currently, Hungary has about 600 of them.
The main armament used in Hungary is the AK-63 (also known in Hungarian military service as the AMM), which is a Hungarian variant of the AKM assault rifle. It is currently used by the Hungarian Ground Forces as its standard infantry weapon, and by most other branches of the Hungarian Defence Forces.
No active military force of 30,000 can be called “powerful” especially when up to 19% of the force is female and many of the male soldiers are old and out of shape. Hungary also lacks adequate modern armor and a real air force. 14 modern combat planes are insufficient.