Hungary is strengthening its defence cooperation with Türkiye through the acquisition of 56 new Gidrán armoured combat vehicles. The agreement builds on an existing partnership with Turkish defence company Nurol Makina and aligns with Hungary’s broader military modernization efforts started in 2016.
‘We have acquired the Gidrán combat vehicles to develop the land and special operations capabilities of the Hungarian Defence Forces, and we are set to receive another 56 units,’ Hungarian Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky confirmed during his visit to Ankara, adding that the combat vehicles are manufactured in Türkiye by Nurol Makina, with the additional electronic, communication, radar, and weapon systems integrated into the vehicles in Hungary.
The Gidrán is a 4X4 multi-purpose armoured combat vehicle, reinforced by a special armour and enhanced explosion protection. It is highly versatile, equipped with a remote controlled weapon station, night vision cameras, and heavy machine guns.
‘We manufacture and procure the best equipment to protect the Hungarian people!’ the Hungarian Minister wrote in a Facebook post today.
Hungary has already integrated the Gidrán into its land forces, and their operational success has reinforced the decision to expand the fleet. ‘We have gained valuable experience with the Gidrán vehicles, both in terms of operation and defence procurement,’ the minister added. ‘Our cooperation with Nurol Makina has been excellent, and we are looking to extend this collaboration to other Turkish defence companies.’
Last October the Hungarian Minister announced that the Gidrán combat vehicles would soon be manufactured in Győr, Hungary. A memorandum of understanding was also signed in Budapest to establish a joint venture by CEO of the Turkish defence company Nurol Makina Ergin Ufuk Aykol; CEO of Nurol Makina Hungary Ltd Mehmet Atak; CEO of N7 Holding National Defence Industrial Innovation Ltd Dr László Palkovics, and CEO of RÁBA Automotive Holding Plc Béla Hetzmann. 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.’
During the Hungarian defence minister’ visit to Türkiye, the two nations have expanded their defence ties not only through the acquisition of the new Gidráns, but also under the new Defence Innovation Working Group supported by Hungary’s Defence Innovation Research Institute (VIKI) and Türkiye’s TÜBITAK SAGE, which have signed a multi-year cooperation to facilitate joint defence research and development projects.
Hungary and Türkiye have established the Defence Innovation Working Group to advance research in autonomous systems, tactical drones, and AI-driven military applications, ‘which marks an important milestone in the defence industrial and technological cooperation between the two countries,’ the minister opined.
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