Hungarian & Romanian Armed Forces - any good?

[Whining Civvy]

Has anyone worked with them? I'm quite curious to know if they'd have anything to bring to the table in a shooting war. A cursory internet search suggests that Romanian gear in particular is hopelessly obsolete, and while the Hungarians have more par-with-Russia gear are they still locked into Sov military thinking?

No huge reason for the query, I just seem to have them locked into the "bit backward" section of my mental map and am wondering if that's accurate or not.

 

[Stovepipe]

A lot of the Russian aircraft are gone or grounded. Hungary has the Gripen.

 

[Whining Civvy]

Going, maybe, but not gone:

Hungary

Romania

A lot of junk in the latter's inventory.

Are their soldiers any good?

 

[Filthy_contract]

Going, maybe, but not gone:

Hungary

Romania

A lot of junk in the latter's inventory.

Are their soldiers any good?

I've worked with officers from both countries. Very keen, very well educated (their best tend to go to US colleges). I also worked a bit with Romanian troops in AFG, albeit 13 years ago. Enthusiastic and appropriately equipped for the conditions. In spite of Viktor Orban's crush on Putin, I suspect that both countries would fight as the Ukrainians have. The UK had a good working relationship with the Romanians; less so the Bulgarians.

 

[aHappyTeddyBear]

Going, maybe, but not gone:

Hungary

Romania

A lot of junk in the latter's inventory.

Are their soldiers any good?

I dont have direct experience but did work in Romania for a bit and was not impressed by what I saw of the Romanian army and AF. Their facilities looked rubbish and I was shocked that aircraft of that vintage were still flying. Ancient MIG21 and MI8's.

It's absolutely possible (probable) that they have some decent unit's by virtue of being forced to train with (and by) other NATO unit's and I just didn't see the good ones.

 

[Stovepipe]

Some TV types did a programme a few years ago and they spent a couple of weeks withe Romanian army and got to drive their then current tank, which was a remodelled T55. Some of their kit and facilities were new and in good order but a lot of it was obsolete and falling to bits.

 

[Roadster280]

I’ve done some work in Brasov with the local GSM operator there. The guys were all ex-military, Scaleys and AF techs. They knew their stuff, and nice guys too. I can’t speak for their current armed forces, but the guys I worked with were intelligent blokes.

 

[The Assassin]

Has anyone worked with them? I'm quite curious to know if they'd have anything to bring to the table in a shooting war. A cursory internet search suggests that Romanian gear in particular is hopelessly obsolete, and while the Hungarians have more par-with-Russia gear are they still locked into Sov military thinking?

No huge reason for the query, I just seem to have them locked into the "bit backward" section of my mental map and am wondering if that's accurate or not.

Biggest threat to them is the Russians and so it's a case of Know Your Enemy with them. I don't get the impression that Peacekeeping is a word in their language too.

 

[FourZeroCharlie]

Given that my only deep contact with the Romanians is 1991-vintage, they did not impress.

Still wrapped up in the CCCP mindset and determined to get glass-eyed drunk at any minute of the day.

Which was a commendable achievement in Saudi Arabia.

I would also suspect that, if things did get a bit loud on the borders of both countries, gospodin Putin would fire up his 'They're All Nazis' fact sheets, given their individual histories during WWII.

 

[MrBane]

My old encounter with the Romanians was in Kandahar. The warehouse assigned to them for bunking looked exactly like the scene in Taken with the curtains and prostitutes. Minus the prostitues, though possibly not minus the sex. They all seemed very dirty and lackadaisical.

 

[javaguzzisti]

Given that my only deep contact with the Romanians is 1991-vintage, they did not impress.

Still wrapped up in the CCCP mindset and determined to get glass-eyed drunk at any minute of the day.

Which was a commendable achievement in Saudi Arabia.

I would also suspect that, if things did get a bit loud on the borders of both countries, gospodin Putin would fire up his 'They're All Nazis' fact sheets, given their individual histories during WWII.

The Hungarians didn't like the Russians in 1956.
I doubt that is forgotten.

 

[CH512O]

Romanians in KAF we’re ok. Nothing to write home about and equipment wise, needed updating and relying heavily on US supplied MRAPs. Hungarians, worked with a few ex-mil. Little bit better than the Romanians but when drunk become one of the most racist and Jew hating people I’ve met!

 

[Effendi]

The Hungarians didn't like the Russians in 1956.
I doubt that is forgotten.

Its not forgotten.

One of my mates in Germany, reserve WO, is of Hungarian parentage he, his parents, and any other Hungarian I have met through him absolutely hate Russians.

 

[wasteofrations2]

Some TV types did a programme a few years ago and they spent a couple of weeks withe Romanian army and got to drive their then current tank, which was a remodelled T55. Some of their kit and facilities were new and in good order but a lot of it was obsolete and falling to bits.

Will Mellor was one of them, I can't remember the name of the girl that was him.
The Romanians were in Iraq, seemed alright.
Extra rations.
Kirsten O'Brien.