Under the guidance of the army mountain commanders from the Mountain Combat Center and experts from the 6th Mountain Brigade, the participants of the 22nd General Staff Training planned a tactical operation in the mountainous terrain around Saalfelden, which is difficult to access. The module tactical operational planning and command in the mountains is part of the tactical training and covers the special features of an operation in the medium and high mountains at brigade and battalion level.
First, the participants spent a one-week planning phase at the National Defense Academy in Vienna dealing with the special features of the mountain environment. With the support of the commander of the mountain combat center, Colonel Jörg Rodewald, a tactical problem was assessed at brigade level in the mountains. The tactical planning resulted in a brigade command issue, which was used as the basis for further assessments in the field at battalion level. For this purpose, the 22nd General Staff Training moved to the Mountain Combat Center in Saalfelden and the Hochfilzen training area as part of the week-long “Winter Tactical Journey”. Knowledge of the special features of operations in the mountains was deepened together with the army mountain commanders from the training division/mountain combat center and the specialists from Jäger Battalion 24. In a field briefing, the participants reviewed the plans in the field and coordinated them with the expertise of the specialists from the Mountain Combat Center.
In addition to the classic assessment of the situation, the mountain situation also plays a key role in the success of the planned deployment in the mountains. A variety of dangers, such as the avalanche situation, influence the planning and execution of operations in the mountains. In order to take these dangers sufficiently into account, it is necessary to rely on specialists. The army mountain guides from the Mountain Combat Center supported the tactical training with their expertise and demonstrated the risks in the mountains to the participants in a practical way on the one hand, while on the other hand the technical combat expertise for operations in the mountains was passed on to the course participants. A combat demonstration by Jäger Battalion 24 at the Hochfilzen military training area illustrated the special features of operations and supply in the mountains. Under the command of battalion commander Colonel Rott, a transport chain in the mountains was demonstrated in particular, using special means of transport (BvS10 Hägglunds universal off-road vehicle, quad) and pack animals, as well as the challenges of medical care. The area of effectiveness was illustrated in the course of live firing with the various weapons of a high mountain unit, in which the new combat vehicle of the mountain troops – the BvS10 Hägglunds – and the heavy sniper rifle were used. For an Austrian officer, deployment in the mountains is an indispensable part of training at all levels. The challenges of extreme terrain require not only special planning skills, but also a high degree of physical and mental fitness. For this reason, several marches in the mountains on skis were carried out during the winter tactical trip to increase mobility. During this two-week “Mountain Combat Module”, the participants of the 22nd General Staff Training were able to clearly demonstrate that tactical principles and principles remain valid even in this environment, but must be adapted to the special conditions. In operational command, soldiers, units and formations that are highly capable and specialized in terms of equipment are required to fulfil the mission.
