This time, our five questions go to Colonel Stefan Haselwanter, commander of Fighter Battalion 8, which will be transformed into an air defense battalion next year. We spoke to him about the Skyranger air defense system and the ability of the
armed forces
drone defense capability.
Colonel, in September, 19 Russian drones crossed the Polish border and penetrated up to 250 kilometers into the country. How would Austria react to such a border crossing?
First of all, our airspace surveillance system would detect the drones. The next step would be to check whether there is a flight plan or whether it is an unknown flying object. If the latter is the case, the interceptors would be dispatched, or a helicopter in the case of a low-speed object. The pilot may recognize that the drone does not have a warhead. I assume that the Poles did something similar.
The situation was probably similar when the Russian MiG fighter jets entered Polish airspace. Moscow saw that the Polish interceptors were in the air within two minutes – Poland thus demonstrated its ability to react. Perhaps the Russians won’t try it a second time.
What would have to happen for a drone that has entered Austrian airspace to be shot down?
In peacetime, this decision is difficult. You can’t simply shoot something down unless there is a clear threat. In addition, in peacetime, the applicable legal requirements must of course also be examined to determine whether a shoot-down would be legitimate at all. It would also have to be examined to what extent a shoot-down is proportionate, as it also carries the risk of escalation. Our legal system stipulates that the principle of proportionality must be examined for every action.
In the event of a threat situation, the Ministry of the Interior, which is responsible for security in peacetime, would request assistance from the Armed Forces. We could then act on behalf of the Ministry, whereby the proportionality of all actions must also be examined here.
We may only act independently, without having received the order in advance, if there is a direct attack on military assets, i.e. airfields, ammunition depots or similar.
“Thanks to the Skyranger, we are at the forefront of drone defense.”
Austria has ordered the Skyranger 30 air defense system from Rheinmetall. To what extent will it improve drone defense?
The Skyranger was procured for escort air defense and will go into operation in 2027. The air defense system has appropriate sensor systems and is therefore more resistant to deception, camouflage and interference. The Skyranger turret is equipped with a 30-millimetre cannon and launchers for Mistral missiles. It can therefore fight small and very small drones as well as larger flying objects at a distance of up to six kilometers. We are receiving a total of 36 Skyrangers, which are mounted on the Pandur wheeled armored personnel carriers and are therefore mobile. Thanks to the Skyranger, we are at the forefront of drone defense.
Numerous experts are of the opinion that there is no need for drone defense as a separate type of weapon, but rather the ability to defend against them in every unit. What does this look like in the Austrian Armed Forces?
The 36 Skyrangers will be divided into nine units each in the four brigades of the ground forces. There are also plans to build up similar capabilities in ground-based air defense, i.e. in the air forces. In addition, there will be a qualified drone defense for all troops. The intention is to enable all branches of the armed forces to independently combat drones at close range for self-protection in the future.
Nevertheless, drones remain a security risk; they are cheap to produce and can be used in large quantities ...
It is impossible to protect the whole of Austria around the clock. If someone wants to use a drone for an attack, they can download the blueprint from the internet, print out large parts on a 3D printer and assemble the drone at home. It is therefore virtually impossible to fend off drones around the clock. However, an attentive civil society can help here. Time and again, conspicuous drones are reported to the police. This is a challenge for everyone. To protect critical infrastructure such as airports, however, work is already underway to at least ensure monitoring, especially with passive systems, in order to detect a threat at an early stage.
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