Szentgyörgyi Dezso Air Base
(Kecskemét, Air Base)
Today the 59 "Szentgyörgyi Dezső" Harcászati Repülö Bázis at Kecskemét houses all fixed wing aircraft squadrons of the Hungarian Air Force. The two fighter squadrons "Puma" and "Dongo" were first equipped with the MiG-29 and the L-39ZO. Starting from March 2006 the L-39 and MiG-29 were merged into the "Dongo" squadron and the "Puma" squadron was prepared to take over the JAS-39. The distribution of the new JAS-39C/D from Sweden began in May 2006.
The Gripen fighter aircraft are equipped with a retractable Air-to-Air Refuelling (AAR) probe, the capability to use NATO interoperable weapons including Laser Guided Bombs (LGBs), an advanced electronic warfare system, an On Board Oxygen Generation System (OBOGS), English language full colour cockpit displays and a NATO interoperable communications suit. This ensures that Hungarian Gripens can operate world wide, from NATO or dispersed bases, jointly with alliance Air and Ground Forces. To train the future Hungarian Gripen pilots also at Kecskemét, two modern L-159 were leased from Czech Republic. For advanced training Hungary joined in April 2002 the NATO Flight training in Canada, NFTC - program.
The two other squadrons are based at Szolnok but belong to the Kecskemét base. The Szállitó Repülö Század is the transport component, for these tasks 5 An-26 are used. The An-26 needs a successor within the next years after more than 30 years of service. The training squadron, Kiképzö Repülö Század is the successor of the Air Force academy and uses the Jak-52s that were recently overhauled at the Danubian Aircraft Company at Tököl.
Kecskemét Air Base an hour south of Budapest is the home of MH 59 Regiment 'Zentgyorgi Deszo' and has two squadrons of MiG-29's and Let L-39ZO's. Held biannually at the Hungarian Air Force (Hun AF) air base in Kecskemét this air show is after the Formula One Grand Prix Hungary's biggest outdoor event. The location can be easily reached with a one hour drive from Budapest's airport and it is therefore no wonder that it is becoming more and more popular also among the foreign air show enthusiast.
Dezso Szentgyörgyi was born in 1915 in Kokúttapasztó. He finished his studies in Enying, and was 18 years old when he volunteered for the Royal Hungarian Defence Forces. He graduated with honors after two years at the pilot school in Székesfehérvár. In his first technical status he was noticed by his superiors, and because of his intelligence, efficiency and as a man of grit, they found him able to be a fighter pilot. He finished the course with high-grades.
In World War II he fought in the battles over Hungary as a trained fighter pilot. At this time he was operating at the 1/2 fighter squadron. By May 1942 he moved to the eastern front as a pilot of the legendary 1/1 "Dongó" (Wasp) squadron from Szolnok. He flew the RE-2000 and the Messerschmitt Bf-109. He spent nearly 18 months in the operation zone, where he became a most efficient fighter pilot, with 141 actions, and 7 air to air kills. From the frontline, he moved to the home airforces into the "Puma" (Cougar) squadron which was deployed in 1944 to defend the state. Until the end of the war, Dezso Szentgyörgyi had flown more than 300 missions, and had 33 air to air kills. In 1945 he became a prisoner of war.
One year after he was employed at the MASZOVLET as a passanger-plane's pilot in Li-2 until 1950. The political riots of the 1950s did not spare him. With charge of perfidy he was arrested and jailed. He was released in August 1956. Thanks to his fortitude, diligence and strength he could get back to MALÉV. He was talented, so he moved up on the echelon. As a captain of IL-14 and IL-18 planes he was one of the best pilots.
In front of Kastrup airfield of Copenhagen, during a landing maneuver, his plane fell into the sea and he was killed.
Between 30 September and 04 October 2013, a Ukrainian-led multinational inspection team conducted two, so called “declared site” inspection in Hungary based on the provisions of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (the CFE Treaty). The nine people strong team has arrived to the HDF 59th Szentgyörgyi Dezso Airbase, Kecskemét on board of the Ukrainian An-30 Open Skies observation aircraft. The Hungarian escort team - consisting of the specialists of the HDF Command and Doctrine Centre’s Arms Control Department, the trained part-time inspectors of the HDF 5th Bocskai István Infantry Brigade, the HDF 43rd Nagysándor József Signal and Command Support Regiment and the HDF Pápa Airbase - welcomed the inspectors.
Following the POE-procedures (point-of-entry), the Hungarian escort team only found out the chosen declared site (CFE terminology for the barracks) after one hour upon arrival. As the readers well-versed in arms control matters already know, this is how the the surprise-nature of the CFE inspections is achieved. Practically it means, that there is very little time - theoretically as little as 6 hours - to prepare a unit for the inspection. In other words, there is no time to hide or transfer the undeclared - otherwise CFE Treaty limited - equipment. This time the Ukrainian team chose the HDF 25th Infantry Brigade, in Tata.
After the team’s arrival at the unit - following the strict choreography of the CFE Treaty - the inspection team received the declared site (barracks, training and firing ranges) diagram containing the necessary information. Following this they were given a briefing by the Chief of Staff of the Brigade. His briefing contained the unit’s official designation, subordination, the number of weapon and equipment systems subject to the CFE Treaty, the personnel strength and the safety measures. Following this, the team conducted the inspection in three sub-teams by inspecting the barracks, the motor-pools, the training and firing ranges. The team has found all reported equipment.
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