“Hungary’s air defence system has significantly improved with the Gripen fighters entering service” – the commander of the Hungarian Defence Forces 59th Szentgyörgyi Dezső Air Base said at this year’s last meeting of the Military Correspondents’ Circle on Tuesday, December 11.

While introducing the base, Brig.-Gen. Nándor Kilián told the participating journalists that the Hungarian Gripen-fleet, which had been made complete by the end of 2007, was composed of 12 single-seat and another two two-seat aircraft. Since the “retirement” of the MiG-29s on January 1, 2010, Hungary’s airspace has been protected exclusively by the JAS-39 aircraft which can fulfil mission types in fighter, attack and reconnaissance roles as well.

Two armed Gripens provide 24/7 Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) service on the base, and a third reserve aircraft is ready to scramble at very short notice, the commander added, noting that today only a staff of three Swedish experts assist the smooth maintenance of the aircraft in Kecskemét, in contrast with the earlier 10-plus-member staff.

Nándor Kilián stressed that the reconnaissance and airspace surveillance capabilities as well as the communication had improved since the aircraft entered service. The reaction time has shortened and the combat radius has increased, while the strikes have become more precise. The brigadier-general said that the service facilities for the Gripens had involved building renovations and alterations, while the comprehensive reconstruction of the base would be due in five years.

Col. (Eng.) József Szücs, the commander of the HDF Air Command and Control Centre informed the journalist that around 450,000 aircraft – including 19,000 state-owned planes – fly over Hungary every year. Last year 32 aircraft entered Hungary’s airspace without contacting the Hungarian air traffic control. Only six of these cases ended with scrambling the Gripens in Kecskemét, he added.

(MTI)