Hungarian Air Force

The air forces of Hungary (Hungarian: Magyar Légierő ) are a strike force in the Hungarian armed forces.

History

The first Hungarian air forces were set up after the collapse of Austria -Hungary and the related Hungarian independence in 1918 and existed until the end of the Hungarian Soviet Republic of 1919. Though the Treaty of Trianon in 1920 forbade the preparation of the air forces, was analogous to the German Empire a secret Lufstreitkraft continue to operate, which was disguised as a civilian flying clubs.

Only in 1938 the existence of the Royal Hungarian Air Force was announced that existed until full occupation of Hungary by the Red Army in 1945.

After the end of World War II, the Hungarian Air Force was then established under the command of the Soviet Union again and integrated into the structures of the Warsaw Pact. After the end of the Cold War, the Hungarian armed forces were reorganized and shut down a large part of the fleet (eg MiG -23 and Su -22) due to high costs. 1994 received the Hungarian Air Force of the Federal Republic of Germany 20 Mil Mi -24 and 20 L- 39 Albatros from the holdings of the defunct National People's Army.

The formation of the Hungarian fighter aircraft pilots has been held since 2002 at the NATO Flying Training in Canada instead. The initially planned in Hungary training was started in 1997, but already set for a course due to excessive costs. From 1956 to the end of the Cold War, the pilots were trained by the Red Army in the Soviet Union.

Organization

Structure

The Hungarian Air Force is divided into two flying squadrons, a brigade combat air targets and a regiment of air traffic control:

  • 59th Tactical Squadron ( Szentgyörgyi Dezso ) in Kecskemét "Cougar " Squadron, equipped with 14 Saab JAS 39 Gripen
  • Transport Squadron, equipped with four Antonov An-26
  • Transport helicopter battalion equipped with Mil Mi -8 and Mil Mi -17
  • Combat helicopter battalion, equipped with Mil Mi -24 ( dissolved )

In addition, the Magyar Légierő an association for the maintenance of the airfield Papa, which was formed as part of the NATO Infrastructural Development Program from the dissolved 47th Tactical Fighter Wing.

Bases

The armed forces of Hungary currently maintaining three airfields:

  • Aerodrome Kecskemét
  • Aerodrome Szolnok
  • Aerodrome Papa

On the airfield Papa no purely Hungarian Association is stationed, he hosts the C-17 Globemaster III NATO Strategic Airlift Capability, whose machines while wearing Hungarian badge, but flying with international crews.

Equipment

The Hungarian Air Force operated the following fleet (as of December 2012):

Military branch Sukhoi Su-22 Aero L-39 Albatros National People's Army Wing (military aviation unit) Boeing C-17 Globemaster III Italian Air Force Slovak Air Force
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