[3] Following the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in 1918, a small air arm was established operating surviving aircraft from Hungarian factories and training schools.

Admiral Horthy, the head of state, ordered that the army aviation should become an independent service effective 9 January 1939.

It subsequently participated in clashes with the newly established Slovak Republic and in the border confrontation with the Kingdom of Romania.

In April 1941, operations were conducted in support of the German invasion of Yugoslavia and, on 27 June 1941, Hungary declared war on the Soviet Union.

On 1 June 1941, the Air Defense Corps was established, and Lieutenant General Béla Rákosi[5] became Commander of Army Aviation.

Following the communist takeover, Soviet military aid was stepped up and a major expansion program initiated.

A reconstituted air arm was reformed in the following year as part of the Hungarian People's Army, but initially only as an internal security force.

During the Cold War period communist Hungary had numerous SA-2, SA-3 and also SA-5 (one unit) batteries and a large number of radar installations, mostly tasked with defending the Danube line against NATO air strikes.

After the Second World War, Hungary created György Kilián Aviation Technical College in 1949, but in the 1960s domestic pilot training was discontinued and the 18 then modern Aero L-29 Delfin jet trainers were handed over to the Soviet Union.

During the 1990s all combat aircraft were fitted with new Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems to enable operations in Western airspace.

In June 2020, the last plane from the Antonov An-26 fleet was retired from service, temporarily leaving the Hungarian Air Force without tactical airlift capability.

[15] The ground-based air defence arm also got a big boost in 2020 by ordering of the NASAMS missile system[16] and the 11 ELM-2084 radars.

[18] As part of the modernization program, the Hungarian Air Force became interested in obtaining new advanced training aircraft.

[20] In April 2022, Hungarian officials and Aero jointly announced that Hungary has signed an agreement to purchase 12 L-39 Skyfoxes, expected to be delivered in 2024.

[21][22] In August 2021, a contract was signed with SAAB to modernize the Gripen fleet, to include an improved PS-05/A Mk4 radar and new armament.

After implementing the MS20 Block 2 software upgrade, the Hungarian Gripens would be able to launch Meteor, IRIS-T missiles, and GBU-49 bombs.

[43] [47] A development was signed in late 2023 for adapting the Skyranger 30 system to the locally made Lynx armoured fighting vehicle.

NOTE: Three C-17 Globemaster IIIs are stationed at Pápa Air Base in Hungary to support NATO's Strategic Airlift Capability operations.

The new Gripen fighters wear a NATO standard compliant grey-on-grey (low-visibility) version of the Hungarian triangle insignia.