Continuing Military Technology Development in the Hungarian Defence Forces

In accordance with the objectives of the Government and the Defence Ministry, the units continue to increase their existing equipment park. Thanks to the National Defence and Armed Forces Development Program, the HDF 1st “Honvéd" EOD and Warship Regiment (MH 1. HTHE) has in recent times also acquired some extremely useful equipment. The unit has recently taken over the buses, by which they can transport more EOD subunits to the sites, while the Toyota Hilux off-road vehicles are the best and the most suitable vehicles for the clearance work according to the soldiers’ experiences. Among the then made acquisitions there was a Hungarian made Rába SUV as well, by which the EOD-officers can transport several 1 to 2 tons weighing bombs from the site, following the clearance.

The improvement of the unit’s technical equipment is far from the end yet. The development reached a new significant phase, when in the military port of the regiment, on 24th April, Minister of Defence Tibor Benkő handed over the most modern vehicles and EOD-equipment to the personnel. In his address the Minister pointed out that the work of the regiment’s soldiers involves great sacrifice-takings, the EOD-officers are on the road almost around the clock, so that the UXOs unearthed won’t endanger human life. “You undertake this mission knowing that you are responsible for the security of the country and the people, and our obligation is to create such working conditions for our soldiers, that can worthily acknowledge their dedicated service" – Tibor Benkő said. The Minister of Defence emphasised that everyone recognizes the regiment’s activity and effectiveness, therefore the National Defence and Armed Forces Development Program will provide new military equipment for the unit in the near future.

An average of 2000-2500 reports per year arrive at the emergency duty of the HDF 1st “Honvéd" EOD and Warship Regiment. The ten Volkswagen patrol cars handed over on Wednesday will be essential during the execution of the public service tasks, as the soldiers are doing their job 24 hours a day, with several subunits, concurrently, in the entire territory of the country. Because of their good all-terrain capabilities and load capacity, the two Mercedes-Benz type double cab trucks can be well used in the clearing duties in Hungary, but also during the mission engagements. As part of the National Defence and Armed Forces Development Program, the supply of the soldiers continued with world-class equipment, making the core activity of the EOD-specialists safer: including protective clothing, high-energy generator-powered blasting machines, blasting-network control devices, shallow mine detectors, self-propelled reconnaissance drones and open-circuit diving equipment.

The unit can perform their duties faster and even more efficiently with the currently provided equipment.

Photos of W.O. Lajos Szabó Lajos