Austria - Fliegerdivision - Austrian Air Force - Order of Battle
Goldhaube (Golden Hat), Austria's air defence system, has been operational since 1988, at about the same time as the introduction into service of the Saab Draken. It consists of fixed radar sites and mobile radar stations. Two Saab 105s or two Eurofighter jets are permanently held on quick reaction alert to intercept unidentified aircraft approaching the border. In June 1991, during the crisis in Slovenia, several airspace violations were made by Yugoslav jets. On one occasion, a Yugoslav fighter even overflew the city of Graz, which is 50km (31 miles) from the border. Following this incident, the Bundesheer was put on alert for several weeks, with anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) units positioned around the air base near Graz. There was another incident in October 1991, when two Saab 105s intercepted a JRV MiG-21 flown by a deserting Croatian pilot and accompanied him to the airport of Klagenfurt, where he landed. However, most of the unidentified traffic transpires to be airliners which have not adhered to their assigned track or time over checkpoints.
The Luftunterstützungsgeschwader (Air Support Wing) consists of three staffel (squadrons); the first two being equipped with S-70 "Black Hawk" and "Alouette" III transport helicopters. Being the fixed wing transport squadron, the 3rd staffel is equipped with Pilatus PC-6 "Turbo Porters". The Turbo Porters have a variety of duties, including transport, Search and Rescue, fire-fighting (with an 800 lit/176 Imp gal water tank), observation, target towing and paradropping. Additionally the Luftunterstützungsgeschwader flys OH-58B "Kiowa" helicopters, which are the AAF's only armed helicopters, with the ability to carry a 7.62mm six-barrel machine gun, capable of firing 4,000 rounds per minute.
By the early 1990s the air transport fleet was 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 -- was the procurement of three to six medium-transport aircraft.
The Hubschraubergeschwader (Helicopter Wing) is based at Aigen-in-Ennstal with permanent detachments (Stützpunkte) to Klagenfurt and Schwaz/Tirol near Innsbruck. Some of the Alouettes, nicknamed Christoph, are equipped as rescue helicopters. The helicopter fleet included 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, were becoming obsolete by the early 1990s.
The Überwachungsgeschwader (Surveillance Wing) is equipped with Eurofighters and Saab 105 aircraft. They are operated from the airbases in Zeltweg, Styria, and Hörsching, Upper Austria. 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 would be purchased used from the Swedish air force. A higher performance model of the Sidewinder was purchased directly from the United States; deliveries began 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.
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