Production of another combat vehicle may start soon in Hungary; details are already leaking

Chancellor Péter Szijjártó recently spoke with a Singaporean company called Patec, and in a Facebook video about their deal, he also mentioned that he sat down with another company besides Patec.

He did not name the company, he only said that is one of the largest military companies in Singapore and is negotiating with Rába to bring the production of landing gear and then complete combat vehicles to Hungary.

“One of the largest military companies, which also operates here in Singapore, is in advanced negotiations with Rába, also for Rába to even manufacture chassis for the combat vehicles of this great Singapore military company.

Negotiations are also being made on the possibility of this Singapore company taking the production of complete combat vehicles into a Hungarian joint venture with Rába or Hungary.

– said the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Rába is a publicly traded company whose majority owner is the Hungarian state; via Magyar Nemzeti Vagyonkezelő Zrt. they own a 74.34% stake in the company.

One of the most important military industrial capabilities in Southeast Asia is Singapore, the city-state manufactures several modern combat vehicles of its own design.

Although Péter Szijjártó did not name the company with which they are negotiating, it’s probably a company called ST Engineering, which also has several military subcontractors, such as ST Kinetics.

The company also manufactures tracked and wheeled combat vehicles, ranging from sand racing vehicles to tracked infantry fighting vehicles.

Just to name a few:

• ST developed the Hunter Multipurpose armored fighting vehicle in conjunction with the Singapore Ministry of Defense, with which I would like to replace the US M113 infantry fighting vehicles and the long-standing one developed by ST. Bionix I want to supplement the combat vehicles,

• developed by ST Terrex an 8×8 wheeled infantry aircraft carrier named the Turk Otokar also produces under the name Yavuz,
• the product of ST is LSV Lightweight multipurpose wheeled offensive vehicle called
• but they are also at home in the field of indirect fire support: self-propelled guns (SSPH 1), towed guns (FH-2000) and 120 mm minesweepers (SRAMS) have been developed,
• machine guns, machine guns, other small arms,
• and the Cerril foal also a so-called crawler tractor.

By the way, Hungary already has a relationship with ST Systems, The company is cooperating with the Hirtenberger mining plant, which was acquired by the Hungarian state last year, in the development of 120mm 4×4 vehicle mining systems.

As has always been an important aspect of the development capabilities of the military industry until now, the equipment manufactured in Hungary must be systematized in the Defense Forces in addition to export, therefore the production of Terrex ICV and vehicle components would be a logical step at home from the above or something even more advanced, based on this design, not yet known. For the rest, the development of the Terrex family is continuous, the guy is already at least three generations, the next generation version, the Terrex 3, was introduced in 2016:

By the end of the summer, it became clear that Hungary would produce Lynx infantry fighting vehicles, however, we do not yet have armored transport vehicles (more precisely, the BTRs are there, but not for long), so a Terrex can fill this void.

Not to mention that the Terrex is also produced and used by the Turks, so the type also promises them export opportunities.

By the time the negotiations reach the establishment of production capacity in Hungary, it cannot be ruled out that a more modern type than this combat vehicle is available, the design of a completely new type of missile weapon has emerged.

Let’s not rush until now, Péter Szijjártó also emphasized in his video that negotiations are still ongoing, so nothing is certain. In any case, from an economic and strength development point of view, it would be advantageous to have an ST plant in Hungary alongside the previously announced Rheinmetall Lynx factory, the Kiskunfélegyháza arms factory and the Gyula Airbus factory.

Finally, it’s also worth noting that ST Engineering’s solution also competes with many German guys, many of whom have so far considered the Boxer acquisition, jointly developed by Rheinmetall and KMW, to be more likely for the APC mission. It is conceivable that the negotiations will take place in parallel and in the end win a more favorable offer for the Hungarian state.

Top image: Hunter (front) and Terrex 2 (rear) combat vehicles at a military display in the ST Engineering Pavilion. Photo: Getty Images