Is the Hungarian army purchasing new, Swedish fighter jets?

Hungarian army
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It seems that the Hungarian army is about to upgrade its fighter jet fleet. Several sources indicate that they are planning to buy the new Swedish versions of the aircraft that are already in service, which the Hungarian Defence Forces haven’t confirmed yet.

Although it is very likely that the purchase will take place in the future, as it would be logical to develop the air force based on already existing technology, it is not yet known exactly when this may happen.

Hungarian army
Photo: depositphotos.com

How is the new aircraft different from the older ones in the Hungarian army?

According to Portfolio, the Hungarian Defense Forces plans to acquire 12 of the most modern E variants of the fighter jet family, in addition to the 14 Jas-39 Gripen C fighter planes currently in operation and four more that are to be delivered in the next two years.

The biggest innovation of the new Gripen is its size, as the new Swedish jets are larger than their previous version, which the Hungarian army already has. Although it is not yet considered a 5th-generation weapon, it is similar to them in the way they can carry weapons not only attached under their fuselage and wings but also hidden in the fuselage.

Thus, the fighter’s radar image is reduced and its stealth capability is improved. Therefore, in its innovations, they resemble the American F-35 Lightning II, so compared to the American ones, they are usually called 4.5-generation. Their fuel capacity has increased by 40% as well, which makes them capable of flying permanently above the speed of sound.

Electrical parameters and weaponry

In addition to the new design, they are equipped with a new Swedish radar, so they also have better stealth. It is also more suitable for aerial and terrestrial target search, which is ensured by an infrared target finder. They are capable of transporting the increasingly common small-diameter “smart bombs” too, whose wings open after release, so they can glide hundreds of kilometres in the air by themselves.

The new Swedish planes can be equipped with a beyond-visual-range missile called Meteor, which is one of the most advanced weapons of its kind in the world. Its speciality lies in the fact that it deliberately “conserves” fuel after launch in order to remain manoeuvrable near the designated target.

Although The National Defense Forces have not yet confirmed the news about the purchase, as we reported earlier, the Hungarian army has recently replaced its Mi-17 helicopters with modern Airbus H145M aircraft as well, which is promised to enhance the Armed Forces’ search and rescue capabilities.

In addition to the procurement of the H145s, Hungary took delivery of new multi-purpose Airbus H225M helicopters. Defence Minister, Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky also said that helicopter pilots and crewmembers have had to acquire new skills to effectively carry out rescue operations using the latest technology.

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