The Hungarian Armed Forces (MH) will add 56 Gidrán combat vehicles to its fleet, bringing the total number of vehicles in service to 106, Hungarian Minister of Defence Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky announced on Friday.
The minister stated that the acquisition of the 56 new combat vehicles is the result of many years of work and represents one stage in a similarly long process. He added that, following thorough preparatory work as part of Hungary’s military development programme, the armed forces decided to adopt this type of vehicle to meet their all-wheel drive equipment requirements.
‘We did not purchase a finished product developed elsewhere, nor did some clever salesperson sell us a vehicle off the shelf. Rather, as a result of joint development, we can speak of a vehicle type developed specifically for the needs of the Hungarian Armed Forces,’ emphasized the head of the Ministry of Defence.
Szalay-Bobrovniczky confirmed the acquisition of the 56 vehicles during his visit to Ankara, Türkiye, in February this year. The Gidrán is a 4×4 multi-purpose armoured combat vehicle, featuring specialized armour and enhanced explosion protection. It is highly versatile, equipped with a remotely controlled weapon station, night vision cameras, and heavy machine guns.
Hungary has already integrated the Gidrán into its land forces, and its operational success has reinforced the decision to expand the fleet. Last October, Szalay-Bobrovniczky announced that Gidrán combat vehicles would soon be manufactured in Győr, Hungary. A memorandum of understanding was also signed in Budapest to establish a joint venture.
The agreement was signed by Ergin Ufuk Aykol, CEO of Turkish defence company Nurol Makina; Mehmet Atak, CEO of Nurol Makina Hungary Ltd; Dr László Palkovics, CEO of N7 Holding National Defence Industrial Innovation Ltd; and Béla Hetzmann, CEO of RÁBA Automotive Holding Plc. The agreement was countersigned by Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, who stated: ‘Hungary’s military development is progressing confidently, whether in the procurement of new weapon systems or the launch of defence industry investments.’
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