Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said all wars start as a result of human decisions.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Armed Forces’ new multi-mission air defense radars in Veszprém, in western Hungary, on Friday, Minister Szalay-Bobrovniczky said: “Times are tough, Europe today is preparing for war." The minister said more and more Western European leaders were making remarks about the steps that needed to be taken to continue the war in Ukraine and the amount of ammunition and weapons that needed to be sent. There were also more and more remarks about the possibility of sending soldiers, he added. He said that at first, there had only been talk of sending helmets to Ukraine, which was followed by artillery systems, ammunition, combat vehicles and fighter jets. Now, he added, they were talking about which NATO or European Union member state would send troops on training missions to Ukraine’s territory. The minister said Hungary and Europe’s interest lay in putting a stop to this process, and this required strength, both in elections and on the part of the military. This was why, he added, the government had accelerated its military upgrades.
Minister Szalay-Bobrovniczky said the Hungarian Armed Forces and its air defense capabilities would be given a boost “which was tried and tested” in combat conditions in Israel. These multifunctional 3D radar systems, together with Norway’s NASAMS air defense systems and the four additional Gripen fighter jets purchased recently by Hungary and other equipment, “will make up the shield that guarantees the security of the Hungarian people”, the minister said. Pietro Mazzei, CEO of Rheinmetall Canada, praised the partnership between the defense industry and the Hungarian government. He said Rheinmetall had been able to establish an assembly, integration and testing base in Hungary that had resulted in the equipment that has been delivered. Mazzei thanked the Armed Forces for not only devoting time to learning the technology but also integrating it into their everyday operations. According to press material distributed at the event, the ELM-2084 multifunctional radar is capable of supporting airspace monitoring and missile interception or artillery air defense operations.