Government Defense Reform Saves Lives

The security situation continues to worsen due to the war in the Middle East, and the Hungarian government is evacuating its citizens from the region. An indispensable asset in these efforts is the Hungarian Defense Forces’ Airbus A319 aircraft, without which the recent rescue operations would not have been possible.

The Hungarian military’s modern Airbus A319s have participated in numerous rescue missions (Photo: Arpad Kurucz)

“Yesterday, the government evacuated six Hungarian citizens from Iran and, at the same time, suspended the operation of the embassy in Tehran until the security situation improves,” announced Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Peter Szijjarto.

As previously reported, the deteriorating security situation due to the war in the Middle East has prompted Hungary's Ministry of Defense, Defense Forces and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to bring Hungarian citizens home from the area in several waves. One of the most significant evacuation missions in recent years reached a safe stage on Tuesday evening, when the government flew 87 Hungarian and one American citizen back from the Middle East. Defense Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky announced that the Airbus A319 had returned safely and completed its mission successfully. “As before, we stand ready to assist Hungarians and anyone else in need, if requested. We are proud of our soldiers’ dedication,” he emphasized.

The Hungarian Defense Forces have carried out similar rescue operations multiple times in recent years, demonstrating the high standards of military medical care and air transport. One such operation was Operation Shaman Shield in 2021. After NATO forces withdrew from Afghanistan, chaos ensued, and Hungarian soldiers voluntarily carried out evacuations. Among the 540 people rescued were 180 children whose lives were in danger. This mission is also featured in a documentary with the working title The Kabul Operation, based on the personal accounts of Hungarian soldiers.

Similarly, on September 15, 2023, the 29-member Hungarian rescue team that played a key role in saving American cave explorer Mark Dickey in Turkey returned home aboard an A319. More recently, in March of this year, a massive fire broke out in a nightclub in Kocani, North Macedonia, where hundreds were present. Nearly 60 people died, and more than 150 were injured. Once again, Hungary provided assistance, and the Hungarian Defense Forces’ aircraft transported several of the injured to Hungary for further treatment.

Hungary’s first Airbus transport aircraft arrived in Kecskemet on January 31, 2018, followed by the second one a day later, accompanied by two JAS–39C Gripen fighters. These aircraft were acquired through the Zrinyi 2026 Defense and Armed Forces Development Program, significantly upgrading Hungary’s air transport capabilities. Their general duties include transporting military and government delegations domestically and abroad, transferring participants to international exercises and missions, and – as has often been the case recently – carrying out air evacuations.

Without Military Development, Hungary Would Be More Vulnerable

The Hungarian Defense Forces didn’t always have such transport capabilities. Without the government’s defense reform, evacuations from war zones would be far more difficult today. By the late 2010s, due to Hungary’s NATO membership, international coalition responsibilities had increased, with more than 1,000 Hungarian troops involved in coalition and peacekeeping missions. The old An-26 (nicknamed "Ancsa") transport planes were often inadequate for troop rotation and transport.

According to International Military Technology Review, the An-26s were economically inefficient, particularly in Afghanistan and Iraq missions, quickly exhausting their flight hours. Flights were also unnecessarily long and exhausting for both passengers and crew.

In cases of natural disasters, mass casualty situations, evacuations and humanitarian emergencies, the An-26s were largely unusable. More advanced personnel and troop transport aircraft were clearly needed.

Notably, in 2016, then-President Janos Ader nearly missed an international event because an An-26 couldn’t take off due to technical failure. He only made it on time thanks to a fast-tracked public procurement aircraft rental. By then, only five An-26s remained operational, and even those had uncertain usability. One plane had a dubious background: it was purchased from Ukraine during the tenure of Socialist Defense Minister Ferenc Juhasz through a Cyprus-based offshore company from the business of a convicted criminal for nearly 600 million HUF (about 1.5 million EUR), despite numerous technical issues that eventually grounded it.

The Hungarian government had been seeking a solution for acquiring modern fixed-wing transport aircraft for years. Since 2006, articles, studies and dissertations pointed to the need, and by 2016, multiple sources confirmed that Airbus aircraft would likely be purchased for state tasks. Thanks to the Orban government’s defense reform, the procurement was realized, enabling safer, faster and more reliable transport – whether for military missions, humanitarian aid or urgent evacuations.

Cover image: The Hungarian military’s modern Airbus A319s have participated in numerous rescue missions (Photo: Arpad Kurucz)