Is Hungary acquiring Spike missiles for its Lynx armored vehicles?
An agreement is said to have been signed with Israel's Rafael for the supply of the anti-tank missiles, after Hungary purchased over 200 of the armored vehicles last year
Eyal Boguslavsky
| 19/07/2021
A Lynx armored vehicle. Photo: Hungarian Defense Forces
Will Rafael Advanced Defense Systems supply Spike LR2 anti-tank missiles to the Hungarian Army? A statement by the Hungarian defense procurement agency said that during a visit by a Hungarian defense delegation to Israel last week, Gáspár Maróth, the Hungarian government's commissioner for defense, and Zvi Marmor, head of the Precision Tactical Weapons Systems Division of Rafael, signed an agreement for the supply of Spike missiles for 220 Lynx KF41 APCs, which the Hungarian government purchased from the German company Rheinmetall last year for $2.38 billion.
The value of the deal with Rafael was not disclosed, but there is much speculation in the Hungarian media regarding how the Spike missiles will be used by the Army. It is estimated that Hungary's Turkish Gidran APCs, whose arrival at the end of 2020 was reported by Israel Defense, will also be equipped with Spike missiles. Those APCs, if armed with Spike missiles, could replace the aging BRDM-2 APCs of the 36th armored battalion that is equipped with Russian 9M113 Konkurs anti-tank missiles, and thus complete the modernization of the 25th Brigade.
Another option for use of the Spike missiles is with the 20 light H145M helicopters that the Hungarian Army purchased from Airbus. Reports in the Hungarian media estimate that the new 8x8 APCs that Hungary plans to produce indigenously, based on the Artec Boxer APC of German companies Rheinmetall and KMW, will also be equipped with Spike missiles.
During the visit to Israel, the Hungarian delegation also visited the UAS plant of Israel Aerospace Industries, the ELTA plant that manufactures Iron Dome radars, and Elbit. In this context, it is worth noting that in addition to their discussions with Israeli companies regarding the purchase of drones, the Hungarians are holding discussions with Turkish companies as well.
Meanwhile, Israeli-Hungarian ties have also recently been strengthened in the space industry, with Hungarian communication company 4IG interested in acquiring control of Israel's Spacecom company.
An agreement is said to have been signed with Israel's Rafael for the supply of the anti-tank missiles, after Hungary purchased over 200 of the armored vehicles last year
A Lynx armored vehicle. Photo: Hungarian Defense Forces
Will Rafael Advanced Defense Systems supply Spike LR2 anti-tank missiles to the Hungarian Army? A statement by the Hungarian defense procurement agency said that during a visit by a Hungarian defense delegation to Israel last week, Gáspár Maróth, the Hungarian government's commissioner for defense, and Zvi Marmor, head of the Precision Tactical Weapons Systems Division of Rafael, signed an agreement for the supply of Spike missiles for 220 Lynx KF41 APCs, which the Hungarian government purchased from the German company Rheinmetall last year for $2.38 billion.
The value of the deal with Rafael was not disclosed, but there is much speculation in the Hungarian media regarding how the Spike missiles will be used by the Army. It is estimated that Hungary's Turkish Gidran APCs, whose arrival at the end of 2020 was reported by Israel Defense, will also be equipped with Spike missiles. Those APCs, if armed with Spike missiles, could replace the aging BRDM-2 APCs of the 36th armored battalion that is equipped with Russian 9M113 Konkurs anti-tank missiles, and thus complete the modernization of the 25th Brigade.
Another option for use of the Spike missiles is with the 20 light H145M helicopters that the Hungarian Army purchased from Airbus. Reports in the Hungarian media estimate that the new 8x8 APCs that Hungary plans to produce indigenously, based on the Artec Boxer APC of German companies Rheinmetall and KMW, will also be equipped with Spike missiles.
During the visit to Israel, the Hungarian delegation also visited the UAS plant of Israel Aerospace Industries, the ELTA plant that manufactures Iron Dome radars, and Elbit. In this context, it is worth noting that in addition to their discussions with Israeli companies regarding the purchase of drones, the Hungarians are holding discussions with Turkish companies as well.
Meanwhile, Israeli-Hungarian ties have also recently been strengthened in the space industry, with Hungarian communication company 4IG interested in acquiring control of Israel's Spacecom company.
