Austrian Air Force

= History =

The Austrian Air Force (de: "Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte") was formed in May 1955 by the victorious Allied powers, it was formed as part of the now fully independent Austrian armed forces (the Bundesheer). Like Germany, there were some restrictions on it, like not being able to use air-to-air (AAMs) or surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) until the 1990s.

Training pilots started out with a few Yak 11 "Moose" and Yak 18 "Max" aircraft donated by the Soviet Union. It then started getting cheap aircraft from the United States under the Military Assistance Program (MAP), but Austria had to buy its first aircraft consisting of Piper PA-18s, Zlin 126s, Cessna 172s, Cessna 182s, Vampires, Magisters, Alouette IIs and Sikorsky S-55s. Only Italy donated five Fiat G-46's. Until between 1958 and 1960 Austria purchased under the MAP 62 aircraft, but with no fighter aircraft.

In 1985 Austria purchased 24 reconditioned J 35 Draken. Also several Saab 105OE trainer aircraft were bought. The Draken protected the southern border of Austria in 1991 during the Yugoslav Wars, when Yugoslav fighters crossed the border without permission.

After the avalanche in Galtür in 1999, it became apparent that the Austrian Air Force's helicopter complement were too few in numbers and too limited in design. Therefore, several US built Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters were purchased, to be used for transportation during disasters.

In 2003 Austria's transport capability was boosted when they purchased three C-130 Hercules from the Royal Air Force. These aircraft were needed for the demanding quest of UN peacekeepers,which Austria played a role in.

Today the Saab Draken are being replaced by the Eurofighter Typhoon, as the Draken are no longer supported by Saab. Before the first delivery of Typhoons, scheduled in 2007, F-5 Tiger II are being leased from Switzerland as a stopgap measure. Still, the Eurofighter purchase is a controversy in Austria, with defense minister Norbert Darabos trying to back out of the Eurofighter contract because of the high costs.

= Fliegerhorste (Air Force Bases)Wolfgang Hainzl, "Die Luftstreitkräfte Österreichs 1955 bis heute", Third Edition, Weishaupt Verlag, 2000] Brigadier Peter Kolecko (ret.) and Vizeleutnant Peter Dachgruber (ret.), "Die Flächenstaffel - Von der Yak-18 bis zur Herkules", First Edition, Weishaupt Verlag, 2005] Brigadier Rolf M. Urrisk, "Die Traditionspflege des österreichischen Bundesheeres 1918-1998", First Edition, Weishaupt Verlag, 1997] =

= Fliegerhorst Vogler - Linz International Airport =

used the base, then named "Camp McCauley - Hörsching", until 1955 when it was returned to the Austrian government.
Firstly used exclusively by the ground forces, the first military aircraft, Yakovlev Yak-18 "Max-A", arrived in 1957. The base was named for First Lieutenant Walter Vogler in 1967.
The German-built base structures were used jointly by the military and civilian aviation until the 70s when construction of the new civilian area in the northern part of the base was finished.
FH Vogler is the largest base of the Luftstreitkräfte. It houses "Fliegerwerft 3", responsible for overhauls and maintenance of the Lockheed Martin C-130K Hercules/Hercules C.Mk 1P and Agusta Bell AB212.

Units currently based here are the Saab 105Oe of 3rd Jet Squadron, Flight Regiment 3; the Lockheed Martin C-130K Hercules/Hercules C.Mk 1P of 4th Air Transport Squadron, Flight Regiment 3; and the Agusta Bell AB212 of 1st and 2nd Helicopter Squadron, Flight Regiment 3.

Fliegerhorst Brumowski

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The first Austrian aircraft to arrive were Yakovlev Yak-11 "Moose" and Yakovlev Yak-18 "Max-A" trainers donated by the Soviet Union and Agusta Bell AB47G2 helicopters in late 1955. The base was named for Captain Godwin Brumowski in 1967.
The base is the headquarter of the Luftstreifkräfte; it also houses the "Bundesfachschule für Flugtechnik" (Federal School for Aeronatical Engineering) and "Fliegerwerft 1", responsible for overhauls and maintenance of the Short SC-7-3M-400 Skyvan, Pilatus PC-6 B2H2 Turbo Porter, Sikorsky S-70A-42 Black Hawk, Agusta Bell AB206A Jet Ranger and Bell OH-58B Kiowa.

Units currently based here are the Short SC-7-3M-400 Skyvan (scheduled for retirement) and Pilatus PC-6 B2H2 Turbo Porter of 4th Air Squadron, Flight Regiment 1; the Sikorsky S-70A-42 Black Hawk of 1st Helicopter Squadron, Flight Regiment 1, the Agusta Bell AB206A Jet Ranger of 2nd Helicopter Squadron, Flight Regiment 1; and the Agusta Bell AB206A Jet Ranger and Bell OH-58B Kiowa of 3rd Helicopter Squadron, Flight Regiment 1.

Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser

Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser, located north of Zeltweg in a region known as Aichfeld, was built as a base for the Air Force of the "Ständestaat" 1936-1938. The base was occupied by Soviet troops in the aftermath of the war, but then transferred to the RAF which used the base until 1947.
In spring 1957 the first aircraft, Piper PA-18/95 Super Cub and Zlin Z-126 Trener, arrived with "Fluggruppe 1" at the base. Since then it is the main base for the training of new aviators. It was named for Colonel Franz Hinterstoisser in 1967.
The base used to house the 1st Squadron of the "Überwachungsgeschwader" (Surveillance Wing) with J35Oe Draken; but with the retirement of the "Drachen" in 2005 the unit is currently without aircraft. The first Eurofighter Typhoon, now equipping the unit, did arrive in July of 2007. The bases also houses parts of "Fliegerwerft 2", responsible for overhauls and maintenance of the Saab 105Oe and the Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer, as well as Flight School for basic training.

Units currently based here are the Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer of Flight School; detachments of 2nd Squadron, Surveillance Wing with Northrop F-5E Tiger II and 3rd Jet Squadron, Flight Regiment 3 with Saab 105Oe are operating from the base.

= Fliegerhorst Nittner - Graz International Airport =

Fliegerhorst Nittner, located south of Graz, was built as a base for the Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops and opened in 1913.
After the Second World War the RAF used the base before it was returned to Austria in 1951.
The first Austrian aircraft arrived in 1957, three De Havilland Vampire T.Mk 55 for the Fighter Bomber Training Squadron; since then Graz was the main base for fighter and fighter bomber aircraft of the Luftstreitkräfte. The base was named for First Lieutenant Eduard Nittner in 1967.
The base houses parts of "Fliegerwerft 2", responsible for maintenance of Northrop F-5E Tiger II. It is primarily a civilian airport, with the military enclave in its southern part; but the base itself is earmarked for closure in 2008 (with the end of Tiger operations) with its installations most likely taken over by the civilian airport operator.

Units currently based here are the Northrop F-5E Tiger II of 2nd Squadron, Surveillance Wing.

Fliegerhorst Fiala-Fernbrugg

Fliegerhorst Fiala-Fernbrugg, located north of the town of Aigen im Ennstal on the southern edge of the "Totes Gebirge", was built as a base for the Air Force of the "Ständestaat" 1936-1937. At the end of World War II the base became the homebase of the only helicopter unit of the German Luftwaffe; beginning the tradition of helicopter operations at Aigen im Ennstal.

Soviet troops occupied the base after the war, but after only a few weeks control switched to the [USA] . After a few more weeks, the base ended up in British hands. The RAF rebuilt the base and handed it over to Austria in 1947. It was used as a storage depot for the "B-Gendarmerie", a paramilitary police force in the western zones.
After some years of hiatus, the first helicopters, Bell H-13H Sioux arrived in late 1960. The base was named for Captain Benno Fiala von Fernbrugg in 1967.
The base houses "Fliegerwerft A", responsible for overhauls and maintenance of Aerospatiale AS-316B Alouette III. "Hochgebirgslandekurse" (Alpine landing courses) are conducted at least annually at the base, with officers of foreign air forces as regular attendants.

Units currently based here are the Aerospatiale AS-316B Alouette III of 1st and 2nd Helicopter Squadron, Flight Regiment 2.

Fliegerhorst Wiener Neustadt

Fliegerhorst Wiener Neustadt, located northwest of the city, was one of the first airports on the European continent. It opened in 1910 and housed various units of the Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops.
Due to the proximity to the "Wiener Neustädter Flugzeugwerke", operated by Messerschmitt in the eastern part of the city, the base was bombed to total destruction during World War II, but rebuilt by the Soviets who operated the base until 1955.
The Austrian military took the base over, but didn't use it until 1961. The base currently houses no units, but Flight Regiment 1s Shorts SC-7-3M-400 Skyvan and Pilatus PC-6 B2H2 Turbo Porter are operating from the base regularly for flight training purposes as well as for training of army parachutists.

Truppenübungsplatz Allentsteig - Liechtenstein Kaserne

The large Liechtenstein Kaserne on the northern edge of the "Truppenübungsplatz Allentsteig" (Training Area, Gunnery and Bombing Range) is home to a detachment of Flight Regiment 1s Bell OH-58B Kiowa. Known as "Stützpunkt Nord" it is not only used by military aircraft, helicopters of the Ministry of the Interior using the base for operations too; the task of border surveillance is jointly conducted by the military and civilian authorities. Besides that, Flight Regiment 1s helicopters and Pilatus PC-6 B2H2 Turbo Porter are operating from the base or its adjacent meadows/roads on a regular base.

Frundsberg Kaserne

The Frundsberg Kaserne in the southern suburbs of Schwaz east of Innsbruck houses a detachment of Flight Regiment 2s Aerospatiale AS-316B Alouette III used for SAR and firefighting duties. The helicopters are operating from Schwaz since 1969. The base is earmarked for closure, with the helicopters being redeployed to the nearby Andreas Hofer Kaserne.

= Klagenfurt International Airport =

Flughafen Klagenfurt, located in the northeast suburbs of the city, had a history similar to Graz. Opened in 1914 for the Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops, the German Luftwaffe took the base over and used it for training of aviators.
After the war, the base ended in RAF hands and was quickly rebuilt and handed over to Austrian authorities in 1951. Despite it was not planned to be used by the military, the first Saab J-29F Tunnan arrived at the airport in 1961, only to be immediately put into mothballs. The planes left a year later, putting the bases connection to the military on hold until 1970 when the John Kaserne on the westernmost part of the airport became home to a detachment of helicopters, much like Schwaz. A detachment of Flight Regiment 2s Aerospatiale AS-316B Alouette III is currently based there.

Flugplatz Punitz - Güssing

The small airstrip northwest of the town of Punitz near the Hungarian border, known as "Stützpunkt Süd" (Base South), houses a detachment of Flight Regiment 2s Aerospatiale AS-316B Alouette III since 1998. The helicopters have been reequipped with thermal sighting systems to be used for border surveillance.

= Radar Installations and Mobile SystemsBrigadier Rolf M. Urrisk, "Das österreichische Bundesheer 2000", First Edition, Weishaupt Verlag, 2000] =

Ortsfeste Radarstation Kolomannsberg - ORS K

This radar site is located atop the Kolomannsberg (1,114 m) on the border between Salzburg and Upper Austria north of Thalgau in a region known as the Flachgau. The site is active since January 1968, and provides 24/7 air surveillance since August 1968. Initially a French CSF (now Thales Group) RV376 and a British Marconi (now BAE Systems) S244 heightfinder were used at the site but were replaced by an Italian Selenia (now Alenia) RAT-31S 3D-radar in 1983. The system was further enhanced with the installation of a Selenia (now Alenia) RAT-31DL 3-D radar in 2003.The site is also called "Grossraumradarstation" (lit. large space radar station) since it has the necessary office and working areas for a complete air traffic/combat control center. It served in this role until 1987 when its tasks were took over by the EZ/B and is still maintained to provide backup when needed.

Ortsfeste Radarstation Speikkogel - ORS SPK

This radar site is located atop the Speikkogel (2,140 m) on the border between Styria and Carinthia in the Koralpe mountains west of Wolfsberg. The site is active since 1986, with its construction and commission severely hampered by the bad weather in the region (partly due to the height above SL) and problems with the radom and the radar itself. A Selenia (now Alenia) RAT-31S 3-D radar is installed, scheduled to receive the RAT-31DL upgrade. The site features a downsized version of the ORS K's control center, but is normally not manned.

Ortsfeste Radarstation Steinmandl - ORS STM

This radar site is located atop the Steinmandl (490 m) north of Ernstbrunn in the Leiser Berge region 40 km north of Vienna. The site is active since 1985; to the immediate west a secondary radar operated by AustroControl is located atop the Buschberg. The ORS uses a Selenia (now Alenia) RAT-31S 3-D radar, but is scheduled to receive the RAT-31DL upgrade. The site was a replacement for the unbuilt one atop the Schneeberg south of Vienna.

Mobile MRCS-403 Systems

As a backup to the fixed sites and to create a better situation image in times of crisis two Selenia (now Alenia) MRCS-403 3-D radars - mobile versions of the RAT-31S - are operated by the Radarbataillon since 1979. Several sites (Irrsberg, Hochwechsel) are prepared to host the radar.

Mobile RAC 3D Systems

To provide detection of low-flying aircraft the Radarbataillon operates six Thomson-CSF (now Thales Group) RAC 3D medium-range 3-D radars - designated TER (Tieffliegererfassungsradar) - mounted on ÖAF 32.403 trucks beginning in 1998. A further 16 of these systems are operated by the Air Defense Bataillons in special target designation configuration to provide early warning and target tracking for the Mistral units.

= Air Defense SystemsBrigadier Rolf M. Urrisk, "Die Bewaffnung des österreichischen Bundesheeres 1918-1990", First Edition, Weishaupt Verlag, 1990] =

35 mm Twin-barreled Anti-Air Gun Model 85

.A second batch of these guns consisting of a further 18 Z/FlAK 65, but this time with FLGer 69, a further improved Super Fledermaus, was purchased in 1973. The FLGer 69 were never issued to the units but returned to the manufacturer in 1973 for eventual replacement with the new FLGer 75 Skyguard beginning in 1976. Improved Skyguards, dubbed FLGer 79 were purchased in 1981.The guns itself were upgraded to GDF-005 standard in 1987, designated Z/FlAK 85 since. The FLGer 75/79 have been upgraded to FLGer 98 in the late 90s. A total of 72 guns and 37 Skyguard systems have been acquired over the years.

Light Anti-Air Guided Missile Mistral

The lFAL (leichte Fliegerabwehrlenkwaffe) Matra (now MBDA) Mistral is not only used with the Air Defense Regiments of the Air Force but also with the air defense batteries attached to the HQ units of the Army's Brigades.72 of these systems - along with several hundred missiles, the exact number is unknown - have been purchased beginning in 1993. They are used in conjunction with the so-called ZZR (Zielzuweisungsradar), 16 Thomson-CSF (now Thales Group) RAC 3D medium range 3-D radars in target designation configuration, that have been purchased in 1998. Nine missile launchers and two radars normally operate in a battery.

Retired systems

20 mm Light Anti-Air Gun Model 65/68, Oerlikon Contraves GAI-B01, ongoing
25 mm Anti-Air Gun Model 38/39, Model Hotchkiss, retired 1959

40 mm Anti-Air Gun Model 55/57, Model Bofors, retired late 70s

= Aircraft Inventory =

Active

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Sud Aviation (now EADS)
SA-316B Alouette III