Hungarian Government Sets Sights on Building a Fully Digitalized Military Force

Hungary aims to transform its armed forces into a fully digitalized, 21st-century military that leverages advanced technologies across all defense domains, Minister of Defense Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky announced at the Infotér Conference Space & Defense Day in Balatonfüred.

Szalay-Bobrovniczky described the initiative as a historic shift in military philosophy — from an “iron-based” to a “data-centric” force. “Every war has its own nature,” he said, emphasizing that the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict demonstrates how digital transparency, driven by drones and sensors, has redefined modern warfare. “Almost nothing happens invisibly on the front lines anymore. The Hungarian Defense Forces must adapt to this reality,” the minister noted.

According to him, radical reforms are already underway. The Hungarian Defense Forces are embracing digitalization across multiple branches — integrating sensors, software, and data networks into operations, logistics, and training. The concept of the “digital soldier,” he said, envisions troops whose equipment generates and shares real-time data, linking personnel, vehicles, and command centers into one interconnected system.

The minister highlighted several examples of how digitalization has begun reshaping the Hungarian military:

• Artillery and tank units in Tata now rely on digital targeting and coordination tools.
• Gripen fighter pilots in Kecskemét employ advanced data systems for mission planning and execution.
• Lynx infantry fighting vehicle crews in Hódmezővásárhely are integrated into a new digital command network.
• Transport aircraft simulators in Pápa are used under NATO frameworks to enhance readiness.
• Virtual reality (VR) training has entered basic soldier education, allowing combat scenarios to be simulated before field deployment.

Szalay-Bobrovniczky also stressed the importance of cyber resilience and data protection, noting that Hungary’s defense infrastructure handles both national and NATO-classified information. The government, he said, is aligning its state administration to support this transformation, citing the recent Adaptive Hussars exercise as a successful test of coordination between military and civilian institutions.

Concluding his remarks, the minister underscored the growing importance of the space domain in defense operations: “Channeling data from satellites is now part of daily routine — a fact clearly visible in the Russian-Ukrainian war.”

The Hungarian Ministry of Defense’s modernization agenda marks one of the country’s most ambitious technological overhauls in decades — positioning Hungary to join the ranks of NATO’s digitally capable forces.