The launcher-loader module of the American HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) will be integrated onto TATRA 6×6 military vehicle platforms manufactured by the Hungarian company Rába.
Hungary’s arms industry is entering a new phase as the HUMARS (Hungarian Mobile Artillery Rocket System) programme is set to launch in Hungary, officially announced by 4iG defence industry holding company in the presence of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Czech Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček. The system is based on the technology of the HIMARS rocket artillery system manufactured by Lockheed Martin, but is implemented partly through domestic production and integration.
The project is linked to the defence industry developments of the 4iG Group and relies on the manufacturing capacity of Rába in Győr. The initiative enables Hungary to integrate certain elements of the HIMARS system with its own industrial background, while the vehicle platform and a significant part of the assembly are provided by Hungarian companies. Under the concept, the launcher-loader module (LLM) of the HIMARS artillery rocket systems ordered by the Hungarian Defence Forces is integrated onto TATRA 6×6 military vehicle platforms manufactured by Rába.
‘This effectively means creating a new type of Hungarian HIMARS system. It represents a capability that combines Lockheed Martin’s American technology with Rába’s manufacturing expertise to develop a new, export-capable product,’ said CEO of 4iG SDT István Sárhegyi, the company responsible for the system’s integration.
The HUMARS programme is particularly significant because rocket artillery has become a key military capability in recent conflicts. HIMARS systems have attracted strong interest among NATO countries thanks to their long-range and high-precision strike capabilities.
The HUMARS development is part of a broader weapons industry programme aimed at turning Rába into one of Central Europe’s key military vehicle manufacturing hubs. Plans include the production and maintenance of military trucks and armoured vehicles, while integrating the Hungarian defence industry into international supply chains.
The projects involve the production, assembly, and maintenance of more than 10,000 military vehicles, alongside a factory development and infrastructure modernization programme worth around HUF 100 billion. A key element of the agreements is that the Czechoslovak Group (CSG) acquires a stake in Rába, establishing a long-term defence industry partnership with 4iG.
As part of the programme, Rába also joins the TATRA Trucks international export programme aimed at producing several thousand medium tactical military vehicles, with a value exceeding €1 billion. In addition, the production and assembly in Hungary of up to 800 Gidrán (Ejder Yalçın MRAP) armoured vehicles and up to 2,000 TATRA 8×8 military trucks for the Hungarian Defence Forces take place.
According to the Hungarian government, developing the domestic defence industry is of strategic importance. At the event announcing the cooperation, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Hungary aims to strengthen regional industrial cooperation:
‘We are committed to strengthening the region’s industrial base and to developing our shared capabilities. For this reason, we welcome opportunities to build joint defence capacities together with other countries in the region.’
The prime minister also emphasized that ‘4iG and Rába will become the flagship of the Hungarian defence industry.’
‘Developing the domestic defence industry is of strategic importance’
This ambition is supported by significant expected orders. Around 2,000 units of the Hungarian-produced TATRA armoured military trucks have already been ordered, worth approximately HUF 600 billion, accompanied by factory development and technology transfer. For the Gidrán armoured vehicles, demand reaches nearly 800 units, with a total value of around HUF 1,000 billion.
Head of the 4iG, which provides the industrial backbone of the project, also assured that the goal is to establish a regional manufacturing and integration hub that serves not only the needs of the Hungarian Defence Forces but also international export markets. The company stated that ‘with the development of Rába and international partnerships, Hungary becomes one of the key defence vehicle manufacturing centres in Central Europe.’
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