Defense Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky underscored the importance of exporting Hungary’s defense industry products.
At a conference organized by the Hungarian Defense Export Agency, the defense minister said Hungary recognized the need to rebuild its defense capabilities and embark on a comprehensive military development program as early as the start of the previous decade. In the current phase of its strategic development, Hungary’s task is to begin exporting the equipment manufactured in Hungary. Minister Szalay-Bobrovniczky criticized the previous governments for delaying the upgrade of the Hungarian military. He said the Hungarian economy had got strong enough by 2015 for a military development program involving the complete replacement of its land and air equipment. Hungary, he added, was now enjoying the benefits of the “acceptable prices and delivery deadlines” negotiated back then because of the defense industry’s more limited capacities at the time.