Special Operations.Com

Austria

Special Operations, Special Mission and Counterterrorist Forces

Office for the Protection of the State
Gruppe Staatspolizeilicher Dienst (Staatspolizei, Stapo)

Counterterrorist Forces

Gendarmerie Einsatz Kommando (GEK) - Cobra Unit

Einsatzgruppe zur Bekämpfung des Terrorismus (EBT)

Military Special Forces
Jagdkommando

 

Bomb Squad

IED= Internationaler Entschärfungs Dienst - Official home page

 

 

Military Intelligence Service
Heeresnachrichtenamt ( HNA)

Military Counter Intelligence Service
Heeresabwehramt ( HAA)

Mobile Einsatz Kommando (MEK)

Overview:  In Austria, the national police (called gendarmerie) which is responsible for law and order throughout Austria, except in the bigger cities.  In the larger cities, there are the normal police which are augmented (for special situations) by an MEK (Mobiles Einsatz Kommando = mobile swat team ) that means members of these teams are driving around in police cars and in case of an emergency those mobile swat teams can reach the dangerous place much more quickly than the GEK.  For example, due to the fact that GEK is not a mobile SWAT team (members of the GEK are based at headquarters waiting for an emergency to arise) MEK is often the first special unit on the scene.  If it is too difficult for the MEK to handle a situation (hostage) they must call the GEK.
There is one exception to this however:  the MEK of the capitol city Vienna. MEK Vienna called WEGA (Wiener Einsatz Gruppe Alarmabteilung = Vienna Swat Team) its also an MEK but its as well trained as the GEK and in case of an emergency there need not to be called the GEK cause they are also very well trained as well as the GEK.  WEGA snipers also won the sniper world championship for the 3rd time in April 1999 at Camp Shelby and it is one of the best counter terror teams of the world like the GEK.   Should a major operation arise, either the GEK and MEK can call on the services of the Army's Jaegerkampfkommando, a Ranger-type unit trained in large scale assaulting. Also, each military district (jurisdiction) has its own Military police station (called Militärstreife) and the are under the direct control of the military commandant of the district. The abwehramt and the HNA are under direct control of the minister of Defense.

Reader input:

Thanks Harald!

The main-reservoir for recruiting soldiers for SF-units are the Jäger (Jaeger=Hunter) units
(http://www.bmlv.gv.at/waffengattung/wafgt_jager.shtml). Jaeger are something like light infantry capable of for patroulling and reconaissance, as well as attacking, defending and securing positions.

Jaeger may apply for Special Training as:
(http://www.bmlv.gv.at/waffengattung/wafgt_jager-gwd.shtml)

--Hochgebirgssoldat (High Alpine Soldier)
<note>every Jaeger in Austria has some 'alpine capabilities' (every Jaeger spends at least one week on a glacier-based camp during bootcamp>
if you look on our geography, but these get an intensive training in alpine techniques and warfare.

--Militärstreife (Military Police)
  - at least 12 month 'extra-conscription' in which one is trained intensively in Personal protection (Bodyguard), Self-defence without weapons, Traffic-control and driving).

and
--Jagdkommando

<note>
The Jagdkommando is the _very_ Special Forces Unit of the Austrian Armed Forces.
(They wear red-maroon berets. All other Jaegers are allowed to wear green berets (exception: The Air assault batallion (Parachutists) also are allowed to wear red-maroon berets). The Guard (get also Jaegertraining wears bright Red berets). The Guards are these
Puppet-like soldiers. Ya know, the ones which are standing still in a row, when some politician chooses to visit Austria. The Guards receive extratraining in urban-environment warfare, whereas the 'Real Jaeger is more the Outdoorguy. Nevertheless, Jaegers also do a fair amount of urban combat training).


quote from the webpage
"The Jagdkommando is an elite unit, which performs commando-operations under the most tricky conditions at land, at water and after landing from the air. Following the 'Basic-training' and 'preparing Squad-command course' a twenty-week course, consisting of lessons in Survival-, demolition-, Close-Quarter-Combat-, and Shooting techniques accompanied with broadened Alpine-, Swimming- and parachute-education."

You can also download a PDF-file 'Jagdkommando' (312 kb) with some Photos (Parachuting, CombatDiver) from http://www.bmlv.gv.at/waffengattung/wafgt_Jagdkommando.shtml

which in short holds the following information:

Objectives:
The soldiers of the Jagdkommando are trained for action in very tricky
environment (geographical/climatic/meteorological) and for high risk scenarios.
This elite-unit has the capability to do commando-operations at land at sea and from the air.
The Jagdkommando are a Special Force Unit of the Bundesheer (Austrian Armed Forces.

How to join:
-Voluntaries only
-no criminal record
-full mental and physical health and stressability
-at least 6 month 'extra-conscription'
-Passing the 'entrance test':
  - 24 km March with 10 kg Backpack plus Weapon in 3 1/2 hours
  - Waterjump from 10 m Tower
  - 30 minute swim
  - 5 km Run in 24 minutes
  - 30 m 'rope hangling in 'Bear-slope(spelling?)' on rope which spans
declined

Training

The Jagdkommandogrundkurs lasts for 22 weeks.
The cours starts after the applying soldier has already done
Basic-training and the 'preparing squadcommanding course'.
<note>
This is a minimum requirement. There are also 'older' NCOs and officers
who apply for the Jagdkommando.
</>

The soldiers et the following training during the Jagdkommandogrundkurs:

- Survival-Training
- Demolition-Training
- Parachuting-Training
- Close Quarter Combat and Shooting - Training
   <note>(includes Self defence without weapons)</>
- Amphibious Training
- Alpine-Training
- Medical Instructions with 'Self- and Comradehelp'

<note: it is rumoured that every year about 120 soldiers start the
Jagdkommandogrundkurs and only about 20 soldiers finish it!</>

If you choose to stay with the Jagdkommando you get specialist training
in:

- Close Quarter Combat
- Winter Warfare
- FreeFall Parachuting
- Combat Swimming (Diving)
- Demolitions
   (This includes the gain of the 'civilian Sprengbefugnis (Civilian
demolition certificate license)

The soldiers of the Jagdkommando not only serve for military purpose,
but also for civilian aid (<note>reinforcement of rescue-units of high
alpine battalions if there is a major avalanche in the alps e.g.</>).

If you have info on Austrian SOF/CT, please contact the webmaster.

For more info on Austria, check here.

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