In 1989 the Hungarian air force was organized into one air division and one air defense division, both headquartered at Veszprem. The air division consisted of three fighter or fighterbomber regiments of three squadrons each. The air division also possessed one helicopter regiment consisting of three squadrons, one transport regiment consisting of two squadrons, and one reconnaissance squadron. The air defense division, responsible for ground-based air defense, consisted of three SAM regiments. Air force personnel in 1988 numbered approximately 22,000, of whom 8,000 were conscripts. The ratio of career personnel to conscripts was slightly less than two to one.

In 1988 the air force possessed 135 combat aircraft and 40 attack helicopters. The three fighter-bomber squadrons possessed ninety MiG-21F/PF/bis/U and forty-five MiG-23M fighter-ground attack aircraft. The reconnaissance squadron flew ten Su-22 aircraft. The two transport squadrons possessed fifteen An 24/26s and An-2s. The three helicopter squadrons together had forty Mi24 attack helicopters, twenty-five Mi-8 medium-transport helicopters, twenty-five Ka-26 helicopters for training and civilian duties, and five Mi-2 light transport helicopters. Yak11s and Yak-18s, L-29s, and MiG-15UTIs were used for training purposes. The air defense system consisted of one division with three SAM regiments possessing some twenty sites and 120 SA-2/3 missiles. In June 1989, Brigadier General Istvan Schmidt, commander of the Hungarian air force, announced that no modernization of the air force would take place in the near future, meaning that Hungary would continue to rely heavily on the units of the Soviet air force stationed in the country.

Data as of September 1989