CFE inspections in Tata and in Győr

The Hungarian escort team – consisting of the specialists of the HDF Command and Doctrine Centre’s Arms Control Department, the trained part-time inspectors of the HDF 5th Bocskai István Infantry Brigade, the HDF 43rd Nagysándor József Signal and Command Support Regiment and the HDF Pápa Airbase – welcomed the inspectors.

Following the the so-called POE-procedures (point-of-entry), the Hungarian escort team only found out the chosen declared site (CFE terminology for the barracks) after one hour upon arrival. As the readers well-versed in arms control matters already know, this is how the the surprise-nature of the CFE inspections is achieved. Practically it means, that there is very little time – theoretically as little as 6 hours – to prepare a unit for the inspection. In other words, there is no time to hide or transfer the undeclared – otherwise CFE Treaty limited – equipment. This time the Ukrainian team chose the HDF 25th Infantry Brigade, in Tata.

After the team’s arrival at the unit – following the strict choreography of the CFE Treaty – the inspection team received the so-called declared site (barracks, training and firing ranges) diagram containing the necessary information. Following this they were given a briefing by the Chief of Staff of the Brigade. His briefing contained the unit’s official designation, subordination, the number of weapon and equipment systems subject to the CFE Treaty, the personnel strength and the safety measures. Following this, the team conducted the inspection in three sub-teams by inspecting the barracks, the motor-pools, the training and firing ranges. The team has found all reported equipment. No surplus or missing equipment was found, of course! During such an inspection, the representatives of the inspected unit have to open all buildings, sheds etc. with doors wider than 2 meters. Thanks to the well-prepared local escorts this was achieved despite of the fact that significant portion of the brigade’s personnel was away on exercise. The inspection team recorded the presence of the equipment on digital photos. After the successful inspection the activity was concluded with the signature the official inspection report. Next, the inspection team leader, Col Sergey ZAVALNIY has officially thanked the unit’s personnel their preparation, their flexible and professional work. Without all this this mission would have been much harder.

Just before the official closure of the first inspection, the inspection team leader has announced the sequential inspection’s declared site (HDF 12th Arrabona Air Defence Missile Regiment, in Győr). The speciality of this inspection was that this was a training inspection based on the Ukrainian-Hungarian bilateral agreement, and the place was selected and offered by Hungary.

The “agenda" of the inspection was similar to the previous one’s, only this time upon their arrival the multinational inspection team received an intentionally incorrect declared site diagram on which they had to find the faults. Only after this they could continue with the inspection.

Following the inspections, the Ukrainian and Belorussian guests enjoyed a short cultural programme and participated in a sight-seeing tour in Budapest. In Kecskemét, the team re-joined the other Ukrainian team conducting an Open Skies Treaty observation flight and flew back to Ukraine.

Photos: by the author.