Hungarian OOB

[Pannonicus]

HDF air defense 1945-2005

After WW2 from winter of 1944 there were 2-3 batteries, serving with the Red Army. They continued to exist until 1946 October, when they were disbanded. They used WW2 equipment, 40mm Bofors cannons and 80mm Bofors AA guns.

New units with new equipment were formed after October 1948. They used Soviet 39M 37mm cannons as well as 85mm KS-12 guns. There were 4 guns in a battery. 39M had 200 ammo per gun, KS-12 had 120. KS-12 was used against ground targets as well, max. range they trained with was 1000m against tanks. It could also fire as field gun, indirect fire with observer. In infantry battalions DShK machineguns were used as AA weapons in platoons of 3 guns.
From 1950, 39M guns were used in batteries of 6 instead of 4. From 1954, KS-12s were grouped in batteries of 8. This lasted until 1956 November.

From 1956 November to 1959 December, KS-12s were organized into batteries of 4 or tubes, and from 1958 SON-4 fire control radar aided the batteries. In November 1958 a new gun, called KS-19 appeared. It was a 100mm gun, capable of engaging tanks at 2000m. Its allotment was 100 pieces of ammo. From 1961 it was not only in fixed positions around major cities, but with troops as well. A battery consisted of 8 guns and 3 DShK machineguns. They served only until 1962, but then for a long time they were mothballed.

In 1959 October the first unit of S-75M Dvina arrived. It was an older set with 5 containers for crew, later ones had only 3 containers. The one with 5 containers was capable of engaging targets from 3km-20km altitude, from 12km minimum distance. (Game note: SAMs of this type should be like off-map artillery, their perspectives are just so different from ground operations. Every 6 seconds the complex was able to launch a missile, max. 3 at a given target. It was rather hard to maneuver off all 3, so maybe the script allowing airplanes in the game to maneuver missiles off should be modified to reflect these multiple launches.) 3 container version arrived from October 1960 – altogether these systems were combat ready by April 1961. Missiles were called V-750M.

Close protection for missile batteries (1 battery is always 6 1-rail launchers with type!) was provided by S-60 57 mm cannons. They arrived in October 1959 as well. 4 pieces were in a battery, and each battery had a SON-9 fire control radar with E-2 computer to calculate elements. 200 pieces of ammo were given to each gun. From August 1961 ground troops also received this cannon.

In the spring of 1962 tank units were provided with ZSU-57-2 SPAA, 6 pieces in a battery. They were used agains ground targets up to 1500m. 300 ammo was their allotment. At the same time 39M guns were replaced at A category units with ZU-2 14.5mm guns, 6 in a battery. DShK machineguns also disappeared from these troops. However, all equipment not in use any more were retained, until 1989-90 with "M" (mobilization) units. ZU-2 could fire at ground targets up to 1000m, and it had 2352 ammo.

S-75M Dvina was constantly modernized:
-In 1965 the altitude of engagement was extended to 500m down, 35km up. (Not with the single 5 container system.)
-In 1970, minimum altitude to 100m, minimum distance 5km. VISUAL tracking was introduced!
-In 1973, better guidance system was introduced (more automatic), and IFF system was installed
-In 1974, new V-750VM missiles arrived with better maneuverability and more effective warhead.
-In 1975, IARU identification modes were added, helping to see through jamming, and separating jamming targets from each other. V-750VU/VMU missiles were introduced, they could be fired after 30s of preparation.
-In 1980, the last modification took place, batteries now could be connected to VEKTOR-2VE automatic central command, giving 20-30% better hit ratio, and saving 15% on number of missiles used for a target. VEKTOR itself became operational from July 1981 in Hungary.

Regarding mobility of the S-75M, it is worth to note that one year from 21-26 August 3 complexes with everything were deployed back and forth in a 300 km road without problem. Therefore in the game, while these units were generally fixed locations in a country, their deployment in an assault/defend scenario is justified.

In June 1969 ZSU-23-4 Shilka arrived, partially replacing ZSU-57-2. They used the same 6x in a battery format, and were used against ground targets up to 2000m.

In 1973, SON-9 fire control radars were replaced with RPK-1, which encompassed the computer as well.

In 1975, Strela-1 (SA-9) arrived, while from 1977 Strela-2 (SA-7) was used as well.
In 1986 Strela-10 (SA-13) and Igla (SA-16) were introduced as well. Both Strela-1 and -10 were organized into 4 machines batteries. Strela-10 is equipped with a radio-pellengator (1/battery), capable of passive reconnaissance of airplanes emitting electromagnetic waves.

In 1976, first Kub 2K12 complexes arrived. There are 4 launchers in a battery, each holding 3 missiles. The are effective from 25m-10km altitude, 4-20km distance. (In 1978, a more advanced version of Kub arrived.)
In December 1981 Krug 2K11 systems arrived. There are 3 launchers in a battery, each holding 2 3M8 missiles. Effective from 150m-24km altitude, 9-50km distance. Krug and Kub were complementary, much like S-75M Dvina and S-125M Neva, the first doing high-altitude, the second low-altitude jobs. In 1978 an automatic fire distribution/control system appeared at ground troops as well, called PU-12, making air defense more effective. At the end of the 1970s the 39M cannons were finally retired – however, in case of war, they might have been used again, as not all of them were destroyed.

In October 1977 S-125M Neva was introduced. Its V-601P missile was effective from 20m to 18km, distance of 3.5km-25km. 2 missiles could be guided at the target simultaneously. They had optical guidance too.

In September 1978 the first S-75M2 Volhov complexes arrived (SA-2e), their V-755 missiles were effective from 100m to 30km altitude, and 7-43km distance. They had improved anti-jamming capability, and optical guidance as well. By 1984 Dvina systems were gone, completely replaced.

In 1983 new S-75M3-OP Volhovs arrived, with improved capabilities.

In September 1986 a group of S-200VE Vega (SA-5) became operational, capable of covering almost all Hungary. Its 6x V-880E missiles were could be used from 300m-40km altitude, and from 17km-240km distance. (Now this is a problem for the game – this is really a strategic weapon!)

In September 1986 a SENEZ-ME replaced the VEKTOR-2VE system. It had a direct connection to Moscow, to the ALMAZ system, coordinating all WP air defences. With this Hungarian air defenses reached their zenith, there were no more developments. (Originally, for 1990 two complexes of S-300 were planned – but history wished otherwise, they were never installed in Hungary.)

After the political changes, radical military downsizing started, and still continuing today. Due to the closeness of this period, I do not have as clear data as I had with older systems.

In 1990, ZSU-23-4 was withdrawn, together with ZSU-57-2.
In 1996, both Strela-1 and Strela-10 was withdrawn. ZU-2 also disappeared at this time.
From December 1997, missile units were withdrawn from their deployement around the countryside, but they continued to exist – to a lesser and lesser number – until December 2000. Then Volhov, Neva, Krug systems were withdrawn.
In 1999 Mistral missiles arrived – they are installed with double launchers on Unimog flatbed trucks, with a Swedish early warning radar in each battery.
The most modern Kubs we received in the early 80s are still in service. ZU-23 and S-60 guns were withdrawn around 2001.