Although hunting in the mountains is steeped in tradition, the operational areas of the future are in cities. Jäger Battalion 26 in Spittal an der Drau is currently undergoing urbanization with a standby militia.
Benno once carried loads to snowy heights. Until he broke his leg and had to be put to sleep. Today he has a place of honor. The Haflinger stands stuffed in the traditional room of the Türk barracks in Spittal an der Drau. No, not every pack animal is given this extraordinary last honor. But Benno was one of the last Haflinger horses to serve with Jäger Battalion 26 before being “transferred” to the Hochfilzen military training area to Staff Battalion 6 in 2009. Today, the “26ers” no longer go into the mountains with their own four-legged friends, but preferably motorized on rubber tracks. And of course – as always – on foot. https://militaeraktuell.at/der-granatwerfer-ist-unser-komplexestes-system/ The soldiers have eight Hägglunds and three quads at their disposal. With 90 hp, the latter are real speedsters not only in the snow, but also off-road in the forest and on the road. Just like their bigger “brothers”, the Hägglunds, they can be equipped with trailers to transport larger loads. Reconnaissance, snipers and observation squads, on the other hand, primarily use the quads. They use them to get close to their positions quickly and then cover the “last few meters” on foot.
However, the number of vehicles is still far too low, as battalion commander Colonel of the General Staff Service Hannes Krainz explains: “Ideally, at least one company would be equipped with Hägglunds”. At present, the mobility of his two fighter companies and his combat support company is not ideal. “What’s missing is a type decision for combat vehicles for the infantry, keyword Pinzgauer replacement,” says the general staff officer, who is leading the battalion for twelve months as part of his troop assignment. Prior to this, he spent one year at the “Central Office” in Vienna, four years in Brussels, four years in Ulm (multinational command of the Bundeswehr) and contingent commander in Bosnia. His view of the “26ers” is therefore fresh and peppered with healthy criticism: “Chauffeuring fighters from A to B in an armored personnel carrier and having them dismounted does not meet the requirements of modern infantry.”
Because the “foot soldiers” are more in focus today than ever before. “Current combat images both in Ukraine (-> current news from the Ukraine war) and in the Gaza Strip show that the last hundred meters always belong to the infantry,” analyzes Krainz. This is why the fighter’s craft is always in demand. But it is becoming more specialized and is being refined with technical support such as drones. Although combat in the mountains remains the core competence of the 6th Jäger Brigade and thus also of the Jäger Battalion 26 under its command, the mountain soldiers must also be strong in combat in built-up areas. Krainz explains: “60 percent of the Austrian population live in cities. And I am convinced that these are also our potential operational areas.” Residential buildings and streets instead of Goldeck and Nockberge are therefore the motto. In addition to the soldiers’ training, weapons and equipment must also be suitable for urban combat. The anti-tank guided missile (PAL) feels at home in urban areas, for example to secure roads at long distances. In Jäger Battalion 26, the PAL platoon is part of the combat support company. This weapon system weighs 45 kilos, plus 60 kilos for three missiles. Due to its weight, it is therefore predestined for transportation by road. “But this weapon hits point targets at a distance of up to two kilometers and penetrates up to 60 centimeters of steel,” explains a non-commissioned officer during a visit by Militär Aktuell. Back in 1991, he was in real combat with “his” PAL at the border crossing in Lavamünd. “Not a nice experience, but an experience,” he adds.
Keyword: commitment. The lessons learned from the mobilization of the militia in the wake of the Covid situation in 2020 were drawn. It had taken far too long for individual companies of the militia fighter battalions to be called up, deployed, trained and sent into action. A reconnaissance platoon and two fighter companies are therefore now to be formed under the title of reaction militia. The “26ers” are responsible for one of these. The militia soldiers will switch from civilian life to service within 72 hours if the need arises. “The stronger integration of the militia is the future orientation of the Armed Forces. Because you can’t get the required manpower for deployment with forces that are present,” explains Krainz. https://militaeraktuell.at/wir-schreiben-gerade-geschichte/ But what both systems – the active forces and the militia – lack is sufficient personnel. Low wages compared to the private sector and training facilities with a strong focus on the east. All soldiers in western Austria have to travel a great deal. Until recently, for example, all those who wanted to complete cadre candidate training 2 (KAAusb2) in the Jäger branch of the armed forces had to make a pilgrimage to Bruckneudorf in Burgenland. “For Vorarlbergers, it’s like a foreign assignment,” says Krainz exaggeratedly. Last year, this course was also held in the west for the first time, namely with the “26ers”.
According to Krainz, making the military profession more attractive is the order of the day in order to attract and retain personnel. Since 2018, more soldiers have been retiring from his battalion every year than new recruits. But this is set to change again in the future. It must!
The story:
The Hochgebirgs-Jägerbataillon 26 is part of the 6th Jägerbrigade and is stationed in the Türk barracks in Spittal an der Drau. It comprises 220 soldiers and, in addition to the battalion command and staff company, is divided into two fighter companies (one of which has a squad presence platoon) and a combat support company (with reconnaissance, anti-tank and grenade launcher platoons). In the event of deployment, the battalion is expanded by a further fighter company from the militia. In addition to classic infantry weapons, the equipment also includes anti-tank guided missiles and heavy and medium grenade launchers. There are also special vehicles for use in the high mountains, such as Hägglunds and quads. The 16 army mountain guides provide the know-how for operations in the mountains and keep themselves fit on the climbing wall in the barracks, among other things. The Fratresberg garrison training area is also within walking distance of the barracks. Alpine training takes place in Hochfilzen, on the Wattener Lizum or Seetaler Alpe. The “26ers” have the motto “Carinthians always on the move” and are responsible for the Carinthian hunter battalion (militia) and, from next year, for an additional hunter company as part of the reaction militia. The history of the battalion goes back to the First World War at that time the unit was called Carinthian Mountain Rifle Regiment No. 1, later Carinthian Alpine Raider Battalion No. 1 and in the Second World War Mountain Raider Regiment No. 137.
Here you can find more army news, here to the interview with Vice Lieutenant Stefan Noisternig (commander of the grenade launcher platoon of Jäger Battalion 26) and here to our other troop visits.
