On Tour: Demonstration of Combat EUROPEAN ADVANCE 2019

The largest combat exercise of the Austrian Armed Forces this year, the multinational exercise European Advance 2019 (EURAD19), took place from November 18 to 29, 2019. Over 1,900 soldiers trained in Upper Austria (Hörsching to Enns), Lower Austria (Mautern, Weitra, Langenlebarn, Amstetten), and especially at the Allentsteig Training Area. Of these, 130 soldiers are from Germany and 100 from Croatia.

The exercise is led by the Commander of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Franz Reissner, based in Graz. The two-week training is carried out by the 3rd Hunter Brigade based in Mautern under the command of Colonel Karl Krasser.

The participants:

• Command of the Armed Forces (Graz)
• 3rd Hunter Brigade (Mautern)
• Logistics Battalion of the EU Battlegroup (Staff Battalion 3 in Mautern)
• Hunter Battalion 12 (Amstetten)
• Hunter Battalion 17 (Strass in Styria)
• Hunter Battalion 25 (Klagenfurt)
• Army Troop School (based in Eisenstadt)
• Military Command Upper Austria (Linz-Hörsching)
• Military Command Lower Austria (St. Pölten)
• Foreign Deployment Base (Bruckneudorf)
• Command Air Support (Linz-Hörsching)
• Military Police (based in Vienna)
• Command Support Battalion 1 (based in Villach)
• Paratrooper Regiment 26 of the Airborne Brigade 1 of the Rapid Forces Division (Zweibrücken, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany)
• Armored Guard Brigade (Motorized Battalion "Wolves") of the motorized Battalion (Gospic, Croatia)

The focus of the exercise is the national certification of the Austrian contribution to the EU Battlegroup in the second half of 2020 according to international standards: a fully equipped logistics battalion with Croatian security forces and mission support specialists.

The cooperation in a stabilization operation within the framework of an EU Battlegroup operation is practiced. The Armed Forces Command trains the leadership of land and air forces. The troops deployed practice tactical procedures in a fictional, unstable crisis region under the command of the 3rd Hunter Brigade. At the same time, soldiers work with international governmental and non-governmental organizations to resolve a conflict.

The EU Battlegroups are the crisis response forces of the European Union. In order to have readily available military forces for crises at all times, EU member countries maintain so-called Battlegroups. Following the agreed plan, Austria also participates regularly with troops in these crisis response forces. For the second half of 2020, the Austrian Armed Forces are preparing a logistics battalion. Possible scenarios for EU Battlegroup missions range from humanitarian and peacekeeping operations, to evacuation and stabilization operations, to peacekeeping missions.

During a combat demonstration at the Allentsteig Training Area, we were able to observe the work of a logistics battalion after an attack. After a firefight, the wounded must be treated and the soldiers must be resupplied. Food should never be lacking, because without chow, there's no pow. We have summarized the demonstration in a video on Youtube for you.

Austrian Armed Forces on the Internet: www.bundesheer.at