The meeting between Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and US President Donald Trump in early November is expected to open a new chapter in the alliance between the two countries in the field of defence. The political obstacle preventing Hungary from accessing the most advanced American military technology has been removed. Thus, Budapest may purchase defence systems worth up to USD 700 million from Washington in the coming years. As the first such large-volume purchases, Hungary may have the most modern missile artillery capabilities in the region.
Who can buy American weapons?
Although NATO member states cooperate closely with the United States on defence, this cooperation is not unlimited – especially when it comes to arms purchases. Arms exports in the United States are subject to strict political, security and technological restrictions. This means that even the closest allies, such as the United Kingdom, Poland and Germany, do not automatically have access to all American technology. High-value arms sales, whether intergovernmental (Foreign Military Sales) or direct (Direct Commercial Sales), are authorised by the US Department of State, but Congress is notified in advance, giving it the opportunity to veto the deal if necessary.
There are many reasons for export restrictions, ranging from specific arguments such as preserving American technological superiority or the risk of unauthorised resale of weapons, to less specific, political reasons. It is the latter that Hungarian decision-makers responsible for defence complained about on several occasions. According to them, for political reasons, Hungary was denied access to American military technology over the past four years that could be crucial to the ongoing military development programme and thus to the country’s defence.
However, this obstacle has now been removed. In addition to the meeting between the US president and the Hungarian prime minister, a highly successful meeting also took place at the level of the defence ministries. This means that Hungary may now have access to the most advanced American military technology which had previously been restricted. According to the US Department of State, the Hungarian government intends to purchase $700 million worth of defence equipment through an intergovernmental agreement. According to the Hungarian Ministry of Defence, the purchase of several items of American military technology specified in the defence procurement plan for the next 10 years may also be realised.
HIMARS to strengthen the Hungarian Defence Forces
The parties have released few details about future purchases, but one thing that is certain is that Hungary has long sought to upgrade its rocket artillery capabilities. The HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) long-range precision missile system developed by the American company Lockheed Martin is the world leader in this field. The Ministry of Defence has confirmed the possible purchase of HIMARS. Still, Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky emphasised that the actual acquisition of the technology is conceivable within a period of 3-5 years. The primary reasons for this are the increased interest in the product and manufacturing capacity constraints. The order is expected to be for 20-25 artillery pieces and 100 missiles, which is an ideal quantity given the size and ambitions of the Hungarian Defence Forces. The details of the purchase, including pricing, will be finalised in further negotiations with the American side. However, the purchase will definitely require congressional approval.
The HIMARS M142 series is one of the most successful artillery systems that is in service with many NATO member states. Its name became widely known after it proved effective against the Russian invaders in Ukraine after 2022. The 6×6 wheeled carrier vehicle is extremely mobile and, with its six launch tubes, is capable of firing a number of types of 277 mm rockets (or a larger 610 mm ATACMS rocket). The system can be operated by a crew of three, is capable of self-loading thanks to its built-in crane, and has a range of between 30 and 500 kilometres, depending on the missile used, enabling it to deliver precision strikes even at strategic depths. Due to its accuracy, it is also known as the “sniper” of artillery weapons.
Hungary’s purchase of this market-leading artillery technology would fit in with the procurement patterns of other countries in the region. Poland and Romania received their first shipments of HIMARS batteries before the escalation of the Russian-Ukrainian war in 2022, and have since increased their stock. The three Baltic states as well as Croatia and Italy notified the US Department of State of their intention to purchase HIMARS after 2022. However, delivery of the ordered and approved equipment is expected to take at least 3-5 years, as production capacity is tied up until the early 2030s.
Thanks to the booming demand for HIMARS, a “European version” of the system, GMARS (Global Mobile Artillery Rocket System), is being developed and was unveiled to the public last year. Built on the HX8 chassis, the system has a longer range and twice the missile capacity of HIMARS. Interestingly, GMARS is being developed by Lockheed Martin in collaboration with Rheinmetall, a German company that is also the number one partner for Hungarian military and defence industry development.
Beyond missiles
According to the US Department of State, the bilateral General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) will also be renewed in order to strengthen Hungarian-American defence cooperation. The United States has similar cooperation agreements with most NATO member states, as well as with allies such as Israel, Japan and South Korea. The agreement establishes common standards for the sharing of classified military information and the handling of sensitive data, enabling more direct and effective military cooperation and intelligence sharing between the parties. Such an agreement is therefore a prerequisite for a country to have access to US military information, to be part of more advanced arms exports, or to participate in joint research and development programmes. In other words, everything that is likely to define the defence dimension of Hungarian-American relations in the coming years.
David Nagy is a political analyst, security and defense policy expert. He holds a degree in International Security and Defense Policy from the National University of Public Service in Budapest with international experience gained at the University of Haifa.
David began his career as a research fellow at the Danube Institute, then He worked as a consultant at EuroAtlantic Consulting & Investment Plc, leading the analyst department. Currently, he works as a geopolitical analyst at the Oeconomus Economic Research Foundation.
His primary research focuses on the geopolitics and security policies of Central Europe and the Middle East, with a special focus on Israel.
