Dr. Tibor Benkő: Modern National Defence Forces are Being Built
Szöveg: honvedelem.hu / MTI | 2018. július 30. 13:06The Hungarian Defence Forces are able to create the basis that the soldiers can perform military service with the most advanced technology from rank and file to the highest ranking officers – Dr. Tibor Benkő told the Magyar Idők. In the interview given in the Monday issue of the newspaper the Minister of Defence also said that they intend to equip the army with home-manufactured and assembled products in an increasing proportion.
The implementation of Zrínyi 2026 National Defence and Armed Forces Development Program has pro rata made a good progress according to the Minister. In the framework of the program, the soldiers will be provided with new, state-of-the-art military equipment, among others clothing, custom weapons, modern electronic devices – he pointed out.
He added that the soldiers’ custom weapons will be renewed from the sources of the Hungarian military industry. In Kiskunfélegyháza the plant has already been finished, where in the first round the pistols, machine guns and assault rifles will be assembled, then after the arrival of the production lines they will be produced under a Czech licence. The organisation of the home production of the ammunition of small arms and the necessary gunpowder is under way.
The Minister also told the newspaper that the growth of employment and in jobs is not necessarily good for the defence forces, but the number of candidates for the military career has been steadily increasing since 2016. “We succeeded to lay the foundation of a career model, with which we can attract and keep in the future soldiers in the military profession" – he said. “In terms of remuneration, salary we cannot compete with all the other professions, but as for predictability and planning, definitely" – he mentioned. He also noted that the Hungarian Defence Forces (HDF) has already more than 7500 reserve personnel, including an ever larger number of youth.
As regards certain opinions that Hungary is not considered as a reliable ally in NATO, Dr. Tibor Benkő reacted: “The Hungarian Defence Forces can be criticized, but in the previous period our eight generals served and are serving in different NATO positions with major responsibilities." – “These positions do not prove as if we were unreliable allies" – The Minister of Defence said to the Magyar Idők.
Photo Archive
