From January 21 to 25, the Austrian Armed Forces will be stepping up security in Austrian airspace on the occasion of the World Economic Forum in Davos (Switzerland). For this purpose, a restricted flight area was established over parts of Vorarlberg and Tyrol.
More than 1,100 soldiers as well as 23 aircraft, 12 fixed-wing aircraft and 11 helicopters ensure the safety of the event and protect the local population from dangers from the air.
These include patrol flights for surveillance, flights to identify airspace violations, transports and cross-border operations (hot pursuit) with Switzerland. This pursuit across the national border is constantly being intensified between Austria and Switzerland. These pursuit flights are made possible by the mutual granting of entry permits.
As of February 1, the agreement between the Republic of Austria and the Swiss Confederation regarding cooperation in the area of cross-border airspace security against non-military threats from the air is fully in force. In the event of airspace violations close to the border, “hot pursuit” ensures the seamless observation and escort of aircraft that are not behaving in accordance with international aviation guidelines. This ensures the observation of aircraft, but above all the early handover between the air forces of two states. The use of coercive measures is only permitted within a country’s own territory. Cross-border hot pursuit has existed on the ground for years and enables the police to pursue aircraft on neighboring territory. As Davos is close to the Austrian border, Switzerland requested that the airspace in Austria be secured.
