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Hungarian People's Army

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Hungarian People's Army
Magyar Néphadsereg
Insignia of the Hungarian People's Army
Infantry flag of the Hungarian People's Army (1957–1990)
Founded1 June 1951
Disbanded14 March 1990
Service branchesSurface Forces
Air Defence Forces
HeadquartersBudapest
Leadership
Chairman of the Presidential CouncilBrunó Ferenc Straub (last)
Minister of DefenceFerenc Kárpáti (last)
Chief of General StaffLászló Borsits (last)
Personnel
Active personnel100,000 (1989)
Deployed personnel Czechoslovakia
Industry
Foreign suppliers Soviet Union
 Cuba
 Vietnam
Related articles
History
RanksRanks of the Hungarian People's Army

The Hungarian People's Army (Hungarian: Magyar Néphadsereg) or the HPA was the military of the Hungarian People's Republic and the armed branch of the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party from 1951 to 1990. It only saw combat in a foreign country once during its existence, which was assisting the Soviet Union in crushing the Prague Spring. It maintained close ties to the Warsaw Pact along with other Eastern Bloc countries. It dissolved in 1989 and retained its current form through the Hungarian Defence Forces.

History

[edit]

Early years

[edit]

Soviet influence over the Hungarian armed forces began to rapidly increase starting in November 1948, "..when hundreds of Soviet military "advisers" were assigned to the Hungarian army from the top all the way down to the regimental level.[1] Although theoretically acting only as advisers, they influenced all important decisions. Beginning in December 1948, thousands of Hungarians began attending Soviet military and political academies to gain technical expertise and political indoctrination. Hungarian generals were sent to Soviet general staff schools."

After the 1948 creation of the HPA the allies and the Soviet Union permitted it to have a 65,000 strong Army and an Air Force with 5,000 personnel and 90 aircraft. The first Minister of Defence Mihály Farkas completely based the HPA off Stalinism until the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953. The HPA mimicked the Soviet Army's Political commissar model, In which party members could teach the ideas of Marxism–Leninism to soldiers of the HPA. After Stalin's death, de-Stalinization swept through the HPA quickly leading to the resignation of Farkas as Minister of Defence.

1956 Revolution and aftermath

[edit]
Main article: Hungarian Revolution of 1956

During the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, the People's Army was deployed at a minimum. During this period, the Soviet Army invaded Hungary due to the revolution which was taking place. As a result, the Soviets took away most of the HPA's equipment, and dismantled the Air Force. In 1959 they began rebuilding the HPA and the new Hungarian leader János Kádár, asked for 200,000 Soviet troops from the Southern Group of Forces to stay in the country, which led to the government to rely more on the Soviets leading to the deterioration of the HPA.

Role in the invasion of Czechoslovakia

[edit]
Main article: Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia

In 1968, the Soviet Union and four other member states of the Warsaw Pact, building on the doctrine of “limited sovereignty”, invaded Czechoslovakia in gross violation of the principle of non-interference in internal affairs (Article 2(7), Chapter I of the United Nations Charter). Bypassing the Parliament, the Hungarian party and the government decided to take part. The designated troops were largely those of 8th Motor Rifle Division. The Hungarian military units were ordered on July 27, 1968, at 3 o'clock in the morning, to be fully operational and to carry out the mobilization of the reservists. The troops occupied Aszód and Rétság on 28 July, and their prepared waiting areas in the area between, and were prepared to carry out the task here. Out of the mobilised Hungarian personnel, four were killed in accidents.

The Danube Flotilla was incorporated into the Ground Forces in 1968.[2]

Reorganization and modernization

[edit]

In the late 1970s, the top political leadership demanded that the military leadership propose an organizational structure better suited to the size, geographical location, position in the Warsaw Pact, and changes in armaments and technology. The aim was to create an army that was better suited to the size and military geographical position of Hungary smaller than the existing one, and with less but more modern equipment. At the end of 1984, General Lajos Czinege was retired. The plans, drawn up in consultation with the Commander-in-Chief of the Joint Armed Forces, provided for substantial changes in both forces, the implementation of which would begin in 1985. This was the so-called "RUBIN task", which was in all respects a modernization and reorganization policy that aimed to:

  • continue the Hungarian commitments to the Warsaw Pact
  • provide the HPA with modern and advanced equipment
  • adapt the military doctrinal practices to the changing times

This policy eliminated the division level organization in both forces, and thus, four corps were created, three land forces and one for domestic air defence, replacing eight divisions.

The Air Defence and Aviation Command was established to provide domestic air defence. On the basis of the disbanded 1st Home Air Defence Army Command and the two Air Force Divisions, the 1st Hungarian Air Defence Corps Command was established in Veszprém, incorporating the newly formed brigades of Hungarian Air Defence (air-missile and radio-technical units). As a result of the replacement of reconnaissance aircraft with more modern ones, an independent squadron was organised on the basis of personnel of the 101st reconnaissance aircraft regiment. Transport and combat helicopters were organised into regiment-level units.

For ground troops, although the army corps command level (5th Army Command) and army corps direct-reporting troops remained unchanged, an entirely new structure emerged with the abolition of divisions and many of the regiments and the introduction of NATO styled brigade organizations, a first in the Warsaw Pact. This meant that the 1st Mechanized Corps was set up in Tata and the 2nd Mechanized Corps in Kaposvár. The 3rd Corps, which had been independent in Cegléd until then, was subordinated to the 5th Army Command. Each land forces corps, by 1988, included five brigades (infantry and armored) organized into a brigade HQ and the combat, combat support and service battalions and/or companies under the brigade framework. [2]

In 1981 Danube Flotilla received six AM type modern minesweepers, and by 1988 it consisted of 700 men and eighty-two vessels, including ten Nestin MSI (riverine) boats. During wartime its chief functions would have been to clear the Danube River and Tisza River of mines, and, in addition, to assist the Hungarian Ground Forces and other Warsaw Pact armies to successfully transport their men and its materiel across rivers.

End of the HPA

[edit]

Soviet troops relaxed their control during the era of Mikhail Gorbachev, and Hungary later became a Democratic Republic. As it moved on from socialism the HPA was converted into the new model, officially dissolving the HPA and becoming the new Hungarian Defence Force.

Structure

[edit]
Uniform of the HPA police force.

The HPA included the Hungarian Ground Forces and the Air and Air Defence Forces. In the early 1980s, it was estimated that the ground forces accounted for 90 percent of the HPA.[3] By 1 July 1986, the International Institute for Strategic Studies estimated that the Ground Forces and the Danube Flotilla had 83,000 personnel (including 50,000 conscripts), and the Air Forces 22,000 (including 8,000 conscripts) for a total of 105,000 personnel.[4] Four years later, a less precise 1989 manpower estimate was approximately 100,000, of which about 64,000 were conscripts.[5]

HPA troops on parade in April 4th.

In 1963 the Ground Forces were organised into:[6]

Tactical Aviation Command at Veszprém (later relocated to Börgönd)

  • 101st Reconnaissance Regiment at Szolnok (relocated to Taszár in 1984 as a reconnaissance squadron)
  • 87th Attack Helicopter Regiment at Szentkirályszabadja (upgraded to brigade in 1987)
  • 89th Composite Air Transport Regiment at Szolnok (formed in 1984 as the 101st Reconnaissance regiment vacated the air base)
  • 90th Command Support and Courier Helicopter Regiment at Börgönd
  • 93rd Composite Air Squadron at Tököl

1st Homeland Air Defence Army Command at Veszprém

The 1st Homeland Air Defence Army and its two constituent air defence divisions were merged in 1984 into the 1st Homeland Air Defence Corps. It took over the three fighter air regiments, the air defence brigade and the two air defence regiments and the 54th and 45th radar regiments merged into the 54th Radiotechnical Brigade. All the homeland air defence units carried the 'Honi' [Homeland] prefix in their official designations.

HPA security forces

[edit]

In the early 1980s, there were also four separate internal security forces under the Ministry of Interior. These included the Internal Security Troops (Belső Karhatalom); the State Security Authority (Államvédelmi Hatóság, ÁVH)'s Security Police (disbanded in 1956, replaced with the MI Department III), the Frontier Guard or Border Guard (Határőrseg, HO), wearing army uniforms, 15,000 strong; and the Workers' Militia (Munkás Őrseg, MŐ).[7] By mid-1986 it was estimated that the Frontier Guards were 16,000 strong, with 11,000 conscripts, divided into 11 districts.[4]

Equipment

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Hungary had the smallest number of aircraft and least equipment in the Warsaw Pact.

In the 1950s the Army was equipped with T-34/85 tanks, as well as 68 IS-2s, which were in service between 1950 and 1956. After the crackdown of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 all were returned to the Soviet Union.[8]

The Army had 1,200 T-54 and T-55 tanks in 1988. It also had about 100 Soviet-made T-72s in its inventory. The HPA's artillery included 225 M-1938 120mm and 50 M-1943 or D-1 howitzers. It also included 90 2S1 122mm and 20 2S3 152mm self-propelled guns.[9] The Army had 26 river minelayers/sweepers (25 tons), 26 mine countermeasure river vessels, 15 river patrol craft (10 tons), 5 small river utility landing craft, Small river troop transport vessels, and River icebreakers. [10]


Small Arms

[edit]
Name Origin Type Caliber Photo Notes
Handguns
Pisztoly 63 Minta  Hungarian People's Republic Semi-automatic pistol 9x18mm Commonly known as "PA 63M". Frame is not blued for simplicity in manufacture but the frame was blued in later production. In service from 1963 intil 1996 when replaced by the FÉG P9RC in Hungarian Defence Forces service.[11][12]
Pisztoly 48 Minta  Hungarian People's Republic Semi-automatic pistol 7.62x25mm Hungarian made TT-33[13]
TT-33 pistol  Soviet Union Semi-automatic pistol 7.62x25mm Limited amounts purchased prior to domestic manufacture of 48.M TT-33 copy.[14]
Rendõrségi Pisztoly 48.M (48.Minta)  Hungarian People's Republic Semi-automatic pistol 7.65x17mm Hungarian copy of the Walther PP pistol. Mainly used by police, during 1956 revolution was offered to party officials for self defense.[15][16]
Assault Rifles
AK-63  Hungarian People's Republic Assault rifle 7.62x39mm Standard service rifle[17]
AKM-63 Gépkarabély  Hungarian People's Republic Assault rifle 7.62x39mm Perforated Metal Handguard and foregrip, folding stock version also manufactured. [17][18]
AMD-65 Gépkarabély  Hungarian People's Republic Assault rifle 7.62x39mm AKM-63 with folding stock and shortened barrel[19]
AMP-69 Gépkarabély  Hungarian People's Republic Assault rifle 7.62x39mm Special rifle for shooting rifle grenades[17]
AK-55 Gépkarabély  Hungarian People's Republic Assault rifle 7.62x39mm Copy of AK-47.[18]
Machine guns
RPK Machine Gun  Hungarian People's Republic Light Machine Gun 7.62x39mm Licensed manufacture by Fémáru és Szerszámgépyár (FÉG), Budapest. Folding stock for paratrooper version. [19][20]
PK Könnyű Géppuska  Hungarian People's Republic General Purpose Machine Gun 7.62x54mmR PK, PKB, PKS. Licensed manufacture by Fémáru és Szerszámgépyár (FÉG), Budapest. Available with PPN-3 scope sight. [19][21]
RPD Machine Gun  Soviet Union Light Machine Gun 7.62x39mm [22]
DP Golyószóró  Soviet Union Light Machine Gun 7.62x54mmR Adopted after pressure from USSR to replace Solothurn machine guns. DPM, and DTM also used.[23]
7.62mm KGK Géppuska  Hungarian People's Republic General Purpose Machine Gun 7.62x54mmR Manufactured by Fémárú Fegyver és Gépgyár, Budapest, Hungary.[24]
Submachine guns
VZ.61/VZ.62 Skorpion Machine Pistol  CSSR Submachine gun 7.65x17mm Known as 7,65mm SHE-61 Géppisztoly in Hungarian service. Also used by police forces special service.[25]
Géppisztoly 48.Minta  Hungarian People's Republic Submachine gun 7.62x25mm Hungarian made PPSH-41. Towards the 1970s was relegated to use by Border Guards, Police Forces, Worker's Militia, and Reserve Forces.[22]
PPSH-41  Soviet Union Submachine gun 7.62x25mm Limited amounts purchased prior to domestic manufacture of 48.M.[14]
Kucher Model K1  Hungarian People's Republic Submachine gun 7.62x25mm Known as Gepisztoly 53 Minta or as the "Spigon submachine gun", Referred to as 'Pénzügyőr Géppisztoly' (Financier/Treasury Machine Gun), in service from 1953 to 1960s mostly with Border Guards and Treasury officers, replaced by PPSH-41/48M and out of service by 1960s.[26]
Danuvia 43M submachine gun  Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1946) Submachine gun 9x25mm In service until early 1950s.
Sniper Rifles
SVD Dragunov  Soviet Union SemiautomaticSniper Rifle 7.62x54mmR [27]
Távcsöves Mesterlövö Gyalogsági Puska, 48.Minta  Hungarian People's Republic Bolt-action rifleSniper Rifle 7.62x54mmR A direct copy of the original Soviet Model 1891/30 sniper rifle.
Bolt-Action Rifles
Gyalogsági Puska, 48.M (48.Minta)  Hungarian People's Republic Bolt-action rifle 7.62x54mmR Hungarian made M1891/30 rifle. [14]
Gyalogsági Karabély, 48.Minta  Hungarian People's Republic Bolt-action rifle 7.62x54mmR Hungarian made M44 Mosin Nagant carbine. [14]
Mosin Nagant M1891/30  Soviet Union Bolt-action rifle 7.62x54mmR Purchased in limited numbers. [14]
Mosin Nagant M44 carbine  Soviet Union Bolt-action rifle 7.62x54mmR Purchased in limited numbers. [14]
Hand Grenades
M42 Hand Grenade  Hungarian People's Republic Hand Grenade 48mm Hungarian made offensive stick grenade, can screw on additional "heads" to increase power.[19]
RKG-3 anti-tank grenade  Soviet Union Anti-tank grenade Also 3M and 3T[15]
Rocket Propelled Grenade Launchers
RPG-7  Soviet Union Rocket Propelled Grenade 85mm 7V and 7D[17]
RPG-2  Soviet Union Rocket Propelled Grenade 82mm [22]
Flamethrowers
Model 51 Flamethrower  Hungarian People's Republic Flamethrower N/A Max range of 20 meters [19]

Crew Served Weapons

[edit]
Name Origin Type Caliber Photo Notes
Heavy Machine Guns
SGM Nehéz Géppuska  Hungarian People's Republic Heavy Machine Gun 7.62x54mmR Cop of SG Goryunov, manufactured by Fémárú Fegyver és Gépgyár, Budapest, Hungary.[24]
DShK  Soviet Union Heavy Machine Gun 12.7x108mm [19]
KPV heavy machine gun  Soviet Union Heavy Machine Gun 14.5x114mm [19]
Recoilless Rifles
B-11 recoilless rifle  Soviet Union Recoilless rifle 107mm [22]
SPG-9 recoilless rifle  Soviet Union Recoilless rifle 73mm [19]
Anti-tank guns
T-12 100mm/2A19  Soviet Union Anti-tank gun 100mm MT-12 version, 106 Delivered 1973-1975 [28]
85 mm divisional gun D-44  Soviet Union Anti-tank gun 85mm 100 guns.

[10]

57 mm anti-tank gun M1943 (ZiS-2)  Soviet Union Anti-tank gun 57mm [17]
Mortars
82-BM-37  Soviet Union Infantry mortar 82mm [19]
2B11  Soviet Union Mortar 120mm 25, delivered 1988[28]
120-PM-43 mortar  Soviet Union Mortar 120mm 101[19]
Anti-Tank Guided Missile
9M14 Malyutka  Soviet Union ATGM MCLOS 125 mm 12500, Incl for BMP-1 IFV and Mi-24 Attack helicopter. [19] [28]
9K111 Fagot  Soviet Union ATGM SACLOS 120mm 300 Delivered 1982-83 [28]
9M113 Konkurs  Soviet Union ATGM SACLOS 135mm 2060 Delivered 1985; 1986; 1987; 1988, including for BRDM-2 tank destroyers. [28]
3M6 Shmel  Soviet Union ATGM MCLOS 136mm [19]
9M17 Fleyta  Soviet Union ATGM MCLOS 148mm [19]

Armoured Vehicles

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Name Origin Type Quantity Photo Notes
Tanks
T-72B  Soviet Union Main Battle Tank 138 T-72B Delivered 1979-1987, from Czechoslovakian and Polish stockpiles. Also VT-72B recovery vehicle.[29]
T-55  Soviet Union Main Battle Tank 1,200 (T-54 & T-55) T-54 and T-55A. 800 T-55s delivered 1964-1965, 300 T-54 delivered 1958-1960. Also VT-55 recovery vehicle and MT-55 bridge vehicles.[29]
PT-76  Soviet Union Amphibious Light Tank 100
T-34/85  Czechoslovakia Medium Tank 150 Delivered 1954-55, From Czechoslovakian production line
IS-2  Soviet Union Heavy tank 68 Returned to USSR after 1956 Uprising
Armored Personnel Carriers and Armored Reconnaissance
BMP-1  Czechoslovakia Infantry Fighting Vehicle 500 Czechoslovakian supplied, Ordered 1973-78, included BRM-1K reconnaissance vehicles [28]
BRDM-2  Soviet Union Amphibious Armored Scout Car 450 350 Armored Reconnaissance vehicles ordered 1969-75, 100 Tank Destroyers equipped with Konkurs ATGMs ordered 1973-77. [28] Also VS BRDM-2 (NBC Recon variant)[29]
BTR-60P  Soviet Union Armored Personnel Carrier 150 Delivered 1963 [28]
D-442 FUG  Hungarian People's Republic Amphibious Armored Scout Car 400 5 variations in use: D-442.00 FÚG (Basic armoured scout car without the turret), D-442.01 PK-FÚG, D-442.03 VS-FÚG , D-442.01 MRP-FÚG, and D-442.02 MÜ-FÚG.[29]
D-944 PSZH  Hungarian People's Republic Armoured personnel carrier 1000 7 variations in use: D-944.00 PSZH (Basic APC with KPVT+KGKT Turret), D-944.00M PSzH-M, D-944.00 PSZH-F , D-944.77 PSZH, D-944.31 SZDPK-PSZH, D-944.21 ZPK-PSZH , D-944.22 ZTÖF-PSZH, and D-944.21 OPK-PSZH. [17]
MTLB  Soviet Union Armored personnel carrier and Prime Mover 30 Delivered 1975-76[28]
BTR-50  Soviet Union Armored personnel carrier 150 Delivered 1960, Incl BTR-50PU Command post version[28]
BTR-40  Soviet Union Armored personnel carrier 200 Delivered 1953[28]
BTR-152  Soviet Union Armored personnel carrier 160 Delivered 1950-51[28]
OT-62 TOPAS  CSSR Armored personnel carrier [15]
OT-64 SKOT  Czechoslovakia Armored personnel carrier [15]
Assault Guns
SU-76M  Czechoslovakia Assault gun [17]
ISU-122  Soviet Union Assault gun [17]
SU-100  Soviet Union Assault gun 50 Delivered 1950-51[28]

Unarmoured Vehicles

[edit]
Name Origin Type Quantity Photo Notes
Trucks
GAZ-66  Soviet Union 4x4 Truck

[30]

Ural 375  Soviet Union 4.5 ton, 6x6 Truck [31]
Robur LO 1800 A  East Germany Truck

[32]

Tatra 141  CSSR Truck

[33]

Avia A-30  Hungarian People's Republic 1.2 ton 4x4 Truck Hungarian version of French Saviem-Renault TP-3MB. Additional models include A-30K with short bed and A-30L with a longer plank cargo bed.[34]
Csepel D-352  Hungarian People's Republic 3.5 ton 4x2 Truck Built on license from Steyr of Austria. Built in both tank truck and dump truck versions. Replaced by Csepel D-420 since 1955/1956.[35]
Csepel D-344  Hungarian People's Republic 3.5 ton 4x4 Truck Replaced the Csepel D-352 and D-420. Dump truck model is D-445.[36]
Csepel D-420  Hungarian People's Republic 4 ton 4x4 Truck Box bodied version used as signal van, mobile workshop, ambulance, tanker truck, and tactical command post.[37]
Csepel D-564  Hungarian People's Republic 5 ton 4x4 Truck [38]
Csepel D-566  Hungarian People's Republic 8 ton, 6x6 Truck [39]
Prime Movers
Csepel K-800  Hungarian People's Republic Prime Mover

Licensed copy of Ya-12 artillery tractor/Light Tracked Artillery Tractor M-2. [40]

PTS-2  Soviet Union Tracked amphibious transport 50 [29]
Utility Vehicles/light transport
UAZ-469  Soviet Union Utility vehicle [17]
GAZ-69  Soviet Union Utility Truck [17]

Anti-Aircraft Weapons

[edit]
Name Origin Type Quantity Photo Notes
Self-propelled anti-aircraft guns
ZSU-57-2  Soviet Union Self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon 40 Delivered in 1966, Second hand[28]
ZSU-23-4  Soviet Union Self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon 50 Delivered 1969[28] [17]
Anti-aircraft guns
AZP S-60  Soviet Union Autocannon [17]
ZU-23  Soviet Union Autocannon [15]
ZPU-2  Hungarian People's Republic Heavy machine gun Hungarian manufactured[24]
ZPU-4  Hungarian People's Republic Heavy machine gun Hungarian manufactured[24]
Surface to Air Missiles
S-200 missile system  Soviet Union Surface to Air Missile
S-75M Volga  Soviet Union Surface to Air Missile 12 S-75M2 and S-73M3 versions[28]
S-75 Dvina  Soviet Union Surface to Air Missile 18 [28]
S-125 Neva/Pechora  Soviet Union Surface to Air Missile 6 [28]
2K12 Kub  Soviet Union Surface to Air Missile 50 [41]
2K11 Krug  Soviet Union Surface to Air Missile 30 Original deliver of 6, 30 by 1989.[42]
9K31 Strela-1  Soviet Union surface-to-air missile 72 Delivered 1979-83[28]
Radar Systems
P-37 Radar  Soviet Union Target Acquisition radar
1S91  Soviet Union Target Acquisition radar [17]
SON-9  Soviet Union Target Acquisition radar 32 For use with S-60 57mm Anti-aircraft gun[28]
PRV-9  Soviet Union Height finding radar 5 Delivered in 1977-9. For use with SA-4 and SA-6 SAM systems[28]
P-12  Soviet Union air search radar 3 Delivered 1963-65. For use with SA-2 SAM systems[28]
P-40 radar  Soviet Union air search radar 10 Delivered in 1977-79. For use with SA-6 SAM systems[28]
PRV-11  Soviet Union Height finding radar 3 Delivered in 1963-65. [28]
PRV-13  Soviet Union Height finding radar 1 Delivered in 1976. [28]
Command Vehicles
BTR-60PU-12  Soviet Union Air Defense Command Vehicle 7 Ordered 1979-83 Part of 7 SA-13/9K35 SAM batteries[28]
Man-portable air-defense system
9K34 Strela-3  Soviet Union Man-portable air-defense system 300 Delivered 1987-89[28]
9K32 Strela-2  Soviet Union Man-portable air-defense system [19]

Ballistic Missiles

[edit]
Name Origin Type Quantity Photo Notes
Tactical Ballistic Missiles
9K52 Luna-M  Soviet Union Tactical Ballistic Missile 24 [10]
OTR-21 Tochka  Soviet Union Tactical Ballistic Missile 6 Ordered 6 in 1987, 40 9M79 Tochka Missiles, "Probably incl for use with nuclear warheads (under Soviet control)"[28]
R-11 Zemlya  Soviet Union Tactical Ballistic Missile 16 Ordered in 1960,Incl for use with Soviet nuclear warheads (under Soviet control)[28]

Artillery

[edit]
Name Origin Type Quantity Photo Notes
Field Artillery
122 mm howitzer M1938 (M-30)  Soviet Union Field howitzer 230 Delivered 1954-55[17]
152 mm gun-howitzer D-20  Soviet Union Field howitzer 302 Delivered 1959-64 [28]
152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1)  Soviet Union Field howitzer 50 Delivered 1954, second hand [28]
2S1 Gvozdika  Soviet Union Self-propelled artillery 151 Delivered 1980-83, Incl from Bulgarian production line[28]
2S3 Akatsiya  Soviet Union Self-propelled artillery 18 Delivered 1981 [28]
Multiple Rocket Launcher
BM-21 Grad  Soviet Union Multiple rocket launcher 66 122mm MLRS[43]
BM-13  Soviet Union Multiple rocket launcher 12 132mm MLRS[28]

Aircraft

[edit]
Name Origin Type Quantity Photo Notes
Helicopters
Mi-24V/Mi-35a  Soviet Union Attack Helicopter 10 Delivered in 1985[28]
Mi-24D/Mi-25  Soviet Union Attack Helicopter 30 20 delivered in 1978 and 1980, 10 more ordered and delivered in 1985[28]
Mi-9  Soviet Union Airborne command post 1 1 1989[28]
Mi-17  Soviet Union Transport Helicopter 7 Delivered in 1989, Incl 2 Mi-17P (Hip-K) EW version[28]
Mi-8T  Soviet Union Transport Helicopter 25 2 Delivered in 1982.[28] 25 by in 1989.

[10]

Mil Mi-2  Soviet Union Light Helicopter 36 Delivered in 1982-86, Polish origin[28]
Ka-26  Soviet Union Light Helicopter 22 Delivered 1975-78 [28]
Mil-4A  Soviet Union Helicopter 20 Delivered 1955 [28]
Mil Mi-1  Soviet Union Helicopter 5 Delivered 1962 [28]
PZL SM-2  Polish People's Republic Helicopter [44]
Fighter Planes
MiG-23M  Soviet Union Fighter aircraft 15 Delivered in 1979 and 1981, MiG-23MF version; incl 3 MiG-23UM version[28]
MiG-21bis  Soviet Union Fighter aircraft 50 Delivered in 1975; 1976; 1978; 1979; 1980[28]
MiG-21MF  Soviet Union Fighter aircraft 53 Delivered in 1971; 1973; 1974[28]
MiG-21F-13  Soviet Union Fighter aircraft 132 Delivered in 1961, 1962; 1963; 1964; 1965; 1966; 1967[28]
MiG-19  Soviet Union Fighter aircraft 40 Delivered in 1968, second hand from Czechoslovakia 0[28]
MiG-19PM  Soviet Union Fighter aircraft 40 Delivered in 1959-60. Outfitted with K-5 SRAAM Missiles [28]
MiG-17PF  Soviet Union Fighter aircraft 16 Delivered 1958, Hungarian designation Csuszo [28]
Mig-17  Soviet Union Fighter aircraft 40 Delivered 1958[28]
MiG-15 bis  Soviet Union Fighter aircraft 18 Delivered in 1957. [28]
Mig-15  Soviet Union Fighter aircraft 300 Delivered 1954-54, Hungarian designation Jaguar. [28]
Sukhoi SU-7B  Soviet Union FGA Aircraft 40 Delivered in 1967-68 [28]
Sukhoi SU-22  Soviet Union FGA Aircraft 15 Delivered in 1981, Incl 3 Su-22M-3 trainer version. [28]
Bombers
Sukhoi Su-25  Soviet Union Ground attack 15 [10]
Ilyushin Il-28  Soviet Union Medium bomber 26 Delivered in 1957, 1960, 1961[28]
Tupolev Tu-2S  Soviet Union Medium bomber 59 Delivered in 1953[28]
IL-10 Sturmovik  Soviet Union Ground attack 150 Hungarian designation Ruszko; incl B-33 version from Czechoslovakian production line. Delivered 1950; 1953; 1954[28]
Transport
Ilyushin Il-14  Soviet Union Transport Aircraft 2 [10]
Antonov An-24/26  Soviet Union Transport Aircraft 24 [10]Incl 2 An-24V version for VIP transport.[28]
L-410 Turbolet  CSSR Transport Aircraft 1 Delivered 1981[28]
Antonov An-2  Soviet Union Transport Aircraft 2 Delivered 1957.[28]
Yak-12  Soviet Union Transport Aircraft 3 Delivered 1955.[28]
Z-43  CSSR Transport Aircraft 4 Delivered 1976.[28]
Li-2T  Soviet Union Transport Aircraft 11 Delivered 1950-52, Hungarian designation Teve[28]
Training
Aero L-29 Delfín  CSSR Trainer aircraft 30 [10]Delivered 1964 and 1974.[28]
MiG-21MF  Soviet Union Fighter aircraft/Trainer aircraft 28 Delivered in 1971; 1973; 1975; 1978; 1980, MiG-21UM version[28]
Mig-15UTI  Soviet Union Trainer aircraft [10]
Yak-18  Soviet Union Trainer aircraft 40 Delivered 1950; 1951[28]
Yak-11  Soviet Union Trainer aircraft 40 Delivered 1954,From Czechoslovakian production line; Hungarian designation Parduc[28]
Reconnaissance
Antonov An-30  Soviet Union Reconnaissance Aircraft 1 [28]

Military conscription

[edit]
Tisztavatás on Kossuth Square, 1969.

Most conscripts were poorly trained, and therefore they were used as a labor force. All of the conscripts had to go through a few weeks of rifle training before they go into workers branches. During the conscription period opinion towards the HPA became very negative and it caused many young men to make excuses on why they should not be drafted (mainly fake medical excuses).[45]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Burant & Keefe 1990, p. 230-231.
  2. ^ a b Burant & Keefe 1990, p. 242.
  3. ^ Lewis 1982, p. 193.
  4. ^ a b IISSMB 1986, p. 52.
  5. ^ Burant & Keefe 1990, p. 241.
  6. ^ Order of battle of Hungarian People's Army, 1963.
  7. ^ Lewis 1982, p. 193-4.
  8. ^ http://epa.oszk.hu/01600/01639/00008/pdf/EPA01639_elso_szazad_2012_tel_061-069.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  9. ^ Burant & Keefe 1990, p. 242-3.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i Schumauer, Rose. World Defense Forces second edition. ABC-Clio. p. 65,66. ISBN 0874362733.
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