TROOP SHOW: Anti-terror exercise on the Danube

The Austrian special operations unit Cobra and six police special units from Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Hungary concluded a hostage situation on a Danube River cruise ship during an anti-terror exercise in Vienna.

Often seen with terrorists: the Steyr AUG here with "hostages".

The Cobra Special Operations Command / Directorate for Special Units carried out a large-scale international terror exercise on water at Marina Wien on Monday, August 21, 2017. A hostage situation with acute terrorist threat was simulated on a 134-meter long Danube cruise ship operated by "Viking Cruises".

Generally intolerant towards hostage takers: EKO Cobra officers, freshly equipped with the latest MSA helmets with rails and night vision capabilities.

A total of 135 police officers participated in the exercise: 80 EKO Cobra / DSE officers with four assault boats, three helicopters from the Ministry of the Interior, and three boats from the water and river service of the Vienna State Police Directorate. Additionally, 55 officers from international police special units took part in the exercise. The officers stormed the moving ship from the water and abseiled from helicopters, practicing various dangerous situations on board.

Sharp neighbors: Slovaks in action during the anti-terror exercise.

All good things come from above: LYNX-Command from Slovakia with a good old Russian mill.

Some boys have all the fun: we can't believe that the Austrians have such a fun attack vehicle ...

Cobra on the RHIB. With the distinctive Team Wendy helmet, we would have placed the driver with the GSG9 rather than the Austrian special unit.

Tactical dance school: the Cobra shows what they have. The new uniforms are from UF-PRO, the helmets from MSA. For close combat, the Austrian special unit relies on APC submachine guns from B&T.

"As we have seen in the terrible attacks in Barcelona and other European cities, our law enforcement must be prepared for all scenarios," said Austrian Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka, who, together with Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz and Cobra Director Bernhard Treibenreif, observed the exercise on the Danube. "The Ministry of the Interior is doing everything to ensure the best possible security for Austrians, both on land and on water. The Danube flows through many European countries and is an international waterway on which around 1.2 million people are transported annually. Therefore, police cooperation with our neighboring countries is of great importance."

Aren't we all pirates? The security forces board the Danube ship.

Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz also emphasized the importance of international and European police cooperation, stating, "Terrorism is an international phenomenon. Therefore, the international and European collaboration of police forces is very important. This anti-terror exercise is also a signal to give the police the tools and capabilities for efficient counterterrorism."

Tried to escape with "hostages" and "terrorists", had no chance: Viking Freya.

Police special units from four neighboring countries participated in the exercise:
• Germany: Officers from the Special Operations Command (SEK) North Bavaria, the Special Operations Command (SEK) South Bavaria with an assault boat, and the Federal Border Guard GSG 9.
• Slovakia: Officers from the anti-terror unit LYNX-Command with two helicopters.
• Slovenia: Officers from the anti-terror unit Specialna ENOTA/Red Panther with an assault boat.
• Hungary: Officers from the anti-terror unit TEK (Hungarian Counter Terrorism Centre).

Among the foreign special units present were the commander of the Hungarian anti-terror unit TEK, János Hajdu, the commander of the Slovakian anti-terror unit LYNX, Stephan Hamran, the head of the South Bavarian SEK, Thomas Viehweg, and Gerhard Skoff from "Viking Cruises".

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