The Radar Profession Celebrates
Szöveg: Gábor Kálmánfi | 2013. február 10. 6:08Year after year, February 6, the day of radar units is a peculiar holiday. It is peculiar because even on this day – which is the celebration of the profession – not all soldiers of the HDF 54th Veszprém Radar Regiment can celebrate.
The reason is that even on this day, while others are listening to Dr. Zoltán Bay’s career – he
was an engineer who conducted successful Moon-radar experiments on the night of February
6, 1946 –, there are some who protect the sovereignty of Hungary’s airspace while on duty
with the radar companies or operating the air command and control systems. This work will
never end…
Among others, this was what Lt.-Col. (Eng.) (Dip.), the acting commander of the radar
regiment reminded his audience as he looked back on last year’s most important radar events.
He stressed that the 28-meter-tall concrete tower of the radar at Medina had been completed
early this year.
The acting commander said that the two most important events in the near future would be the
other two radar stations’ entering service in Bánkút and Békéscsaba, which is due in a couple
of months. Once that is done, to quote Zoltán Vörös, “the Hungarian radar culture will have
been enriched with new and modern radars".
In his speech, Brig.-Gen. János Huszár, Land Forces Chief, HDF Joint Force Command stated
that the radar regiment is “a key military organization of the Hungarian Defence Forces,
since its capabilities are indispensable both to Hungary and to NATO". As he noted, more
than 1,000 soldiers and public servants are working 24/7 to provide reliable radar data in the
interest of security.
Of the above-mentioned more than 1,000 soldiers, some were given commendations on the
occasion of the holiday. One of them, Capt. Imre Kovács, the deputy commander of the 12th
Radar Company (Juta) received a token of appreciation from his superior on the occasion of
his jubilee birthday.
“I have been serving as a radar operator for more than 30 years. To me, this day, the day of
radar units means exactly that I have always considered myself a radar operator. The beauty
of my profession is that unusual events may occur any day, and I have to make prompt
decisions on those occasions. These events are not unexpected, but even after all this time
they preclude routine work" – this was how the celebrated one summed up the essence of
February 6 in answering our question.
Photos by the author
