Two new Gripen tactical fighter aircraft were officially welcomed into the Hungarian Air Force on Tuesday morning at the Kecskemét base of the Hungarian Defence Forces‘s vitéz Dezső Szentgyörgyi 101st Air Wing.
The Swedish-made aircraft arrived in Hungary on 18 June, increasing the number of Gripen jets operated by the Hungarian Defence Forces to eighteen. Their arrival also marks the 20th anniversary of Swedish-Hungarian military cooperation.
At the ceremony, László Kürtös, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, emphasized that beyond the acquisition of the fighter jets, numerous ties connect the Hungarian and Swedish peoples.
As examples, he noted that both countries are members of the European Union and NATO, and that around 40,000 Hungarians live in Sweden as respected members of society.
Recalling shared history, the State Secretary paid tribute to the courageous Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, who helped prevent the deportation of thousands of Hungarian Jews during the Second World War.
“We will never forget that after the Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence of 1956, Sweden welcomed 8,000 Hungarian refugees,” he added.
