|
Austria Air Force
Austria's air force (Fliegerdivision) is headquartered at
Tulln-Langenlebarn Air Base twenty-five kilometers northwest of
Vienna. The air force has as its missions the defense of Austrian
airspace, tactical support of Austrian ground forces,
reconnaissance and military transport, and search-and-rescue
support when requested by civil authorities.
Until 1985, when the first of twenty-four Saab J-350e Drakens
were delivered, the country had remained essentially without the
capacity to contest violations of its airspace. The Drakens,
reconditioned after having served the Swedish air force since the
early 1960s, are armed only with a cannon, in accordance with the
restrictions on missiles in the State Treaty of 1955. However,
following Austria's revised interpretation of its obligations
under the treaty, a decision was made in 1993 to procure
Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. The first of these missiles will
be purchased used from the Swedish air force. A higher
performance model of the Sidewinder will be purchased directly
from the United States; deliveries may begin in 1995. French
Mistral surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) were purchased to add
ground-based protection against air attack. The first of the
French missiles arrived in Austria in 1993; final deliveries are
to be concluded in 1996.
Phaseout of the Drakens is scheduled to begin about 1995, and
studies were under way to select a replacement, probably one that
can be configured for both air defense and ground support
missions. Possible replacements for the Draken are the United
States F-16 and F-18. In addition to the two squadrons of
Drakens, the air force has thirty-one Saab 105Oe fighters
available for reconnaissance and close air support of ground
troops; however, eight Saabs, borrowed from the combat squadrons,
are regularly employed as jet conversion trainers. Acquired in
1970-72 after service in the Swedish air force, the subsonic
Saabs are of limited value in a combat role. The helicopter fleet
includes Agusta-Bell (AB) 204s (mainly medical evacuation), AB206s (training and liaison), and AB-212s (used by air-mobile
troops and for light transport). French Alouettes are available
for search-and-rescue tasks, including high mountain operations.
The Bell OH-58 Kiowa, a scout helicopter, is mounted with a
rapid-firing machine gun, but the air force lacks a true attack
helicopter. Most of the helicopters, except the AB-212s, are
becoming obsolete (see
table 16, Appendix).
The air transport fleet is seriously deficient, a fact
underscored by its inability to support the armed forces in their
UN peacekeeping and humanitarian activities. The air force has at
its disposal two Short Skyvans and twelve Pilatus PC-6s that can
handle only light cargoes. Among air force priorities--
unfulfilled because of budgetary constraints--is the procurement
of three to six medium-transport aircraft.
The air force is organized into a division of three flying
regiments and one radar (air defense) regiment. Air Regiment I at
Tulln-Langenlebarn consists of the light transport squadron plus
one helicopter wing of AB-206s and OH-58s. Air Regiment II at
Graz-Thalerhof, Aigen in Ennstal, and Zeltweg consists of the air
interceptor wing of Drakens and a wing of two Alouette helicopter
squadrons. Air Regiment III at Linz-Hörsching consists of the
fighter-bomber wing of Saab 105Oes and a helicopter wing of AB204s and AB-212s. An air defense battalion equipped with 20mm and
35mm antiaircraft guns and a variety of radar systems is attached
to each air regiment.
The Central Flying School at Zeltweg is equipped with Saab
91D Safirs and Saab 105Oes, while transport pilots train on PC7s . Austrian pilots are sent to northern Sweden for training in
operation of the Drakens.
Data as of December 1993
|
