Hungarian Gripens Support American Soldiers

The US cavalry troops participated in the training with M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles and M106 mortar carriers. Around 45 Hungarian personnel supported the training event, but the most spectacular contribution was the close air support provided by two Gripen fighter aircraft of the Hungarian Air Force. Lt.-Col. Gábor Farkas, Commander, 2nd Infantry Battalion, HDF 25th “Klapka György" Infantry Brigade told us that even abroad, it does not occur often that a CALFEX is supported by fighter jets, so the after action review will capture useful lessons learned for US and Hungarian troops alike.

After the exercise, Captain Eric Ruff, 4th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment emphasized that the combined training events help the development of a common tactical perspective. In his opinion, the Hungarians’ precise and effective contribution helped the US soldiers gain valuable experience. The captain also spoke appreciatively of the environment of the training event, adding that they rarely have the opportunity to train for the modeled maneuvers at such a vast range like the Central Training Area.

Photo: Zoltán Tischler