Hungary Ends Operation of Mi-24 Helicopters

Hungary has retired its Mi-24 attack helicopters. The phase-out took place quietly in early February 2026 after all remaining airworthy aircraft reached the end of their service life.

The final flight was carried out on February 4. The very next day, the airworthiness certificate of the last operational helicopter expired, according to Portal Militarny.

Hungary’s Mi-24 history began in 1978, when the first four Mi-24D helicopters were delivered from the Soviet Union as part of a total order of 30 aircraft. The fleet was later expanded with upgraded Mi-24V variants. In 1995, Hungary also received additional used helicopters free of charge from Germany, previously operated by the former East German Army.

Despite the large number of helicopters received, economic difficulties and military downsizing steadily reduced the number of active aircraft.

After several years without flights, eight helicopters underwent major overhauls in 2018–2019 at a Russian plant in St. Petersburg. Specialists upgraded the TV3-117 engines and adapted the cockpits for the use of night vision goggles. It was at that time that the Hungarian helicopters received their distinctive graphite-black paint scheme.

In the final period of their service, the combat value of these helicopters was minimal. Hungary had no remaining stocks of 9M114 guided anti-tank missiles, and the storage life of the unguided S-5 and S-8 rockets had long expired. Due to safety risks, they were not even used for training, leaving the 30 mm cannon of the Mi-24P variant as the only available weapon.

What will happen to Hungary’s Mi-24s and what will replace them?

All helicopters have now been towed to storage areas at the Szolnok airfield, where they will await a final decision on their future.

The Soviet-era aircraft are being replaced by Airbus H145M light attack helicopters. Hungary received 20 of these helicopters between 2019 and 2021.