Austria’s security and defense industry is growing dynamically – a tour of Enforce Tac shows the strong presence of red-white-red companies in the global defense sector.
Austria’s security and defense industry is growing and thriving. The country produces vehicles and aviation components as well as protective equipment and weapons. Not to mention the increasing number of solutions in the areas of cyber security, communication and training. And all of this in a high-quality manner, close to the customer and with the greatest possible flexibility in product design and order processing.
Solutions “made in Austria”
Many Austrian companies in the industry are also exhibiting at Enforce Tac (-> Enforce Tac 2025 is bigger than ever before). During a tour, Militär Aktuell asked the red-white-red companies: What is your current focus? What highlights and innovations will we see at Enforce Tac 2025 and what will soon be in use worldwide?
The companies present a thoroughly exciting portfolio, which we would now like to take a closer look at together.
Carinthia: Extremely reliable
We start our tour at Carinthia in Hall 7. The company has been a leader in the development and production of cold protection clothing and equipment for decades. As early as 1975, company founder August Mayer recognized the potential of synthetic fibres for filling materials, and the first production plant for synthetic insulation fibres went into operation in 1981. By replicating the structure of down and focusing on functionality and quality, G-Loft became the core of the brand and helped the company to become a leading global cold protection expert. Today, the products are exported to 70 countries.
“Through continuous innovation and the use of state-of-the-art materials and production technologies, we guarantee the highest performance and reliability under extreme conditions,” Carinthia explains. “In our in-house innovation workshop, we combine decades of experience with state-of-the-art technologies to develop pioneering products for cold protection, clothing, sleeping systems and moisture protection.”
Carinthia’s products can withstand extreme weather conditions and also meet the highest requirements for military specifications, which can be seen and tried out on the many functional pants, jackets and other equipment on the stand.
Corvus Defensio: Bringing the AUG into the 21st century
Things are particularly exciting in Hall 7A at Corvus Defensio. The company’s small team only went public with its first product developments in 2016, and just one year later the Austrian police enthusiastically accepted the upgrade for the Steyr AUG: Numerous mounting options for the weapon light and other tactical aids, an extended rail, a closer grip, sleeve deflector and much more – Corvus Defensio skillfully used the potential of the AUG to occupy a small but fine niche in the global market. “Our aim is to always offer high quality ‘made in Europe’ and to enable the unrestricted use of accessories on the AUG,” says Managing Director Florian Schrom.
At Enforce Tac, Corvus Defensio will be presenting its entire range of AUG accessories. This ranges from special receiver rails for the A2, A3 and M1/SE model series to mountable hand protection systems and various barrel rails through to attachments that improve handling and tactical usability. Corvus Defensio now also offers tactical solutions beyond the AUG, focusing on niches in the field of optics mounts and holsters for the deeply concealed carrying of compact slim-line pistols.
Zero Compromise Optic: uncompromising!
Zero Compromise Optic (ZCO) has also set up its Enforce-Tac presence in Hall 7A. In a very short space of time, the company managed to convince sporting and official users worldwide of its high-quality riflescopes produced in Austria. Founded in 2018 and geared towards the European and US markets in parallel, the first official order came just one year later from a military unit using the riflescopes on the heavy .50 BMG caliber – an accolade. Further orders were not long in coming.
A current highlight from ZCO is the ZC 210 DMR riflescope, which has only been in series production since last autumn. The robust riflescope with a magnification of 2-10× and parallax compensation from eight meters upwards is not only popular with demanding sports shooters. “It is currently being tested by renowned special forces around the world,” reveals Managing Director Robert Artwohl in an interview.
Kahles: Focus on precision
The traditional company has been producing high-quality optical riflescopes for 127 years now. The latest innovations will be presented in Hall 7A. Numerous international competition shooters, hunters and discerning gun users rely on the optics from Lower Austria. “Dynamic sport shooting in particular is a driver of innovation,” explains Josef Kampfer, Head of Communications at Kahles. “Sports shooters are always pushing the limits of what is possible. This exploration is particularly important to us in the development of riflescopes. This results in products that can exceed these limits.”
Just last year, Kahles presented a revolutionary new addition to its portfolio of riflescopes for sporting use: the K328i/K328i DLR (-> To the Military News Test) with 40 percent more field of view than its predecessor, eightfold zoom, exceptionally comfortable eyebox, 50 millimeter objective lens diameter and perfect optical performance over the entire travel range.
In spring 2025, the K series will also be expanded: the K540i/K540i DLR is based on the same platform and now offers the same advantages as the K328i, but with a magnification range of 5-40×. As with the K328i DLR, the elevation turret of the special K540i DLR version has particularly large and easy-to-read lettering. With an objective lens diameter of 56 millimetres, “the K540i performs excellently even in the lowest light and, in combination with all other product specifications, naturally opens up a wide range of applications,” adds Sales Manager Peter Aichberger.
All K models for long range shooting offer a parallax adjustment integrated in the elevation turret (patented). This makes Kahles the only manufacturer to offer the option of positioning and selecting the side adjustment on the left or right. This in turn provides a considerable advantage in the operation of the device. All products in this segment are equipped with specially tuned illuminated reticles in the first image plane.
Gloryfy: The simply better glasses
We continue our tour at the new Austrian Pavilion in Hall 10. There we meet Gloryfy CEO Christoph Egger, who revolutionized an entire market with just five words starting in 2004: “Let’s make unbreakable glasses!” No sooner said than done, the product went into series production in 2011. Since then, more than 850,000 of the high-tech glasses with unbreakable lenses and frames have been sold.
The goggles from the Tyrolean Zillertal are not only known for their high resistance. The patented Inclinox technology enables individual adjustment of the temples in the shortest possible time, which increases wearing comfort – even in combination with helmets. It is therefore not surprising that the glasses have long since proven themselves in the demanding everyday service of the police, special units and the military. “Our goggles have been a very popular product with many emergency services, such as the Austrian police, for years,” says Christoph Egger proudly states in the Militär Aktuell interview with pride.
The new sunglasses in the Guardian series are aimed specifically at the government market. They exceed the strictNATO-standard STANAG 2920 for ballistic resistance, yet are very lightweight and have self-tinting lenses with contrast enhancement and UVA/UVB protection. At Enforce Tac, Gloryfy will be presenting the G34 APEX, a new addition to the Guardian series, in the Austrian Pavilion in Hall 10. Co-CEO and head of the Guardian program, Maximilian Egger, tells Militär Aktuell: “The G34 APEX was designed and developed with a full focus on the military sector.”
ArmyBug: Camouflage beanies and more
There are – nomen est omen – even more red-white-red exhibitors in the Austrian Pavilion. For example ArmyBug. Developed in Vorarlberg and handmade in Germany, the company’s hoods and headbands impress with their unspeakable wearing comfort. The high material quality and fleece lining make the headgear a scratch-free companion in everyday life and on duty.
Angi and Stephan Moser from Vorarlberg founded ArmyBug out of necessity in 2021: “Stephan was in the hunting squad at the time and needed a suitable cap for his multicam uniform. After a long search on the Internet and a lot of back and forth, we decided to make it ourselves!” A loyal and enthusiastic community quickly formed around the Vorarlberg headwear with the striking stag beetle logo and the many camouflage patterns. Angi adds in an interview with Militär Aktuell“We also produce hats, caps and T-shirts for companies according to their own wishes.”
Tailor-made services and security on site: SF Consulting
Security Fire Consulting, or SF Consulting for short, can also be found in the Austrian Pavilion. “Security starts with crisis and violence prevention,” says Managing Director Florian Tschernitschek. With more than 20 years of active fire department, service in a special unit and a wealth of practical experience in emergency and crisis situations, he and his team travel the world for training and consulting. The focus is on imparting knowledge on violence de-escalation, assault prevention and other security-related topics. The seminars are constantly updated and adapted and are aimed at already trained or as yet untrained personnel from institutions, authorities and private companies.
SF Consulting also offers security services ranging from the creation of security concepts, property and event protection to personal protection. The company focuses on quality in the training and further training of its own employees, who must meet high standards. “We adapt to the customer’s wishes and circumstances and offer individual solutions,” adds Tschernitschek in the Militär Aktuell interview.
Black Trident: Highest quality for use
We move back to Hall 7A and visit Black Trident. The company has made a name for itself as a supplier of high-quality Kydex and nylon products as well as a reliable supplier of official merchandise and will be showing some special features at Enforce Tac – including metal components produced in-house for the first time. Another first: Black Trident is bringing the rifles of US premium manufacturer Noveske to Europe for the first time. With this partnership, the company (-> Interview with CEO Wolfgang Rohrbacher) is once again focusing on quality, as Noveske rifles are known for their low manufacturing tolerances.
Ready for action with Clawgear: development spirit and quality
Clawgear (also in Hall 7A) develops and produces clothing, equipment and weapons in the EU in constant exchange with emergency services. There will be something new to see from all three of the company’s core areas at Enforce Tac 2025: The Female Fit BDU is an operational uniform for women. Sewn from ripstop with mechanical stretch, it provides the necessary freedom of movement. The uniform is available in numerous sizes and in three lengths. The fabric of the three colors – stone gray olive, black and multicam – is NIR-compliant.
Clawgear’s new plate carrier system made from NIR-compliant materials offers the greatest possible modularity and adaptability to different applications. The three platforms – Operator, Raider and Protector – are compatible with each other. One highlight: the Operator plate carrier with Lasercut PALS slots, interchangeable panels and cummerbund made of sturdy Tegris can also be converted into a chest rig.
Following the latest development of the CG15 semi-automatic rifle the CG4 follows as a fully automatic rifle in 5.56×45 caliber for the official market. The CG4 has a 14.5-inch barrel from Lothar Walther with 1/2×28 thread. The aluminum handguard has a choice of M-Lok and Picatinny mounts, and the rifle is compatible with STANAG magazines. The CG4 is currently under development and testing (according to AC/225).
Last Man Standing Gear: Tactical denims for duty and everyday life
The Austrian-Swiss company LMS Gear – Last Man Standing Gear – in Hall 7 specializes in the development and manufacture of tactical denim pants. “We want to appeal to all those who value high-quality, efficient and easy-to-use equipment and who want to operate inconspicuously and with foresight,” reveals founder Joachim Schorat. “Our target group is civilian investigators, military contractors, sports shooters and others for whom normal five-pocket jeans are not enough.”
Version 3.0 of the Multi Utility Denim MUD is the latest all-round solution from the gear manufacturer: classic design and high functionality meet a clever mix of materials. In addition to the classic five pockets, there are a further eight slide-in pockets, some of which are concealed. There is space for magazines, medic kits and tools. Produced in Portugal, the MUD V3.0 features the usual high quality workmanship and durability.
Safety and tactical advantage: FR Innovations
With a shared vision of longtime friends Mario Fuchs (-> Interview with Militär Aktuell) and Gerald Reichl, the foundation stone of FR Innovations GmbH was laid in 2021. The focus is on innovative product solutions for authorities and the military as well as services for companies and private individuals on security topics.
Mario Fuchs brings 20 years of government experience to the company, 17 of them in special forces and special units. At Enforce Tac 2025, FR Innovations will be presenting its first product, the DCL Medusa, at the Fact Systems stand in Hall 7. The touchdown camera for tactical applications is a small, software-supported documentation tool consisting of a combination of camera, light and optional laser. Mounted directly on a weapon, helmet or other operational equipment, it transmits live image and sound. “Everything that happens in front of the weapon is recorded and can be viewed both live in the stream and afterwards,” explains Mario Fuchs. The DCL Medusa therefore offers significant safety-relevant and tactical advantages. In patrol duty, for example, it allows complete documentation of the use of firearms without the camera being obscured. For special forces in particular, the wireless image transmission on an accompanying display also enables secure reconnaissance of areas that cannot be seen. “At the market launch, we are targeting firearms users; subsequent markets will be the fire and rescue services, where telemedicine, for example, is increasingly in demand.”
Kynotec: Efficient dog training
Kynotec in Hall 9 offers dedicated dog trainers in civilian and official environments a wide range of solutions: From online training courses and classroom modules to advanced training courses tailored for specialized forces. In addition, service and sniffer dogs are accompanied, trained and taught from an early age. At the heart of the company (-> The two founding managing directors Florian Schneider and Christoph Wishofer in an interview with Militär Aktuell) is the conviction that the dog’s abilities can be combined with modern technical solutions.
At Enforce Tac 2025, Kynotec will be exhibiting together with Kynoscience, which has developed a scent machine for training sniffer dogs, and Getxent, which offers non-hazardous carrier materials for real substances in the sniffer dog industry.
Drone Passion: Drone technology and drone defense “made in Austria”
Drone Passion in Hall 7 specializes in the distribution and development of high-quality drone and drone defense systems (-> To the current military drone topic) specializes. “Our goal is to create technology with real added value – for people, companies and organizations that rely on us,” emphasizes Managing Director Patrick Esser.
One highlight developed in-house is the powerful backpack jammer, which is an effective and mobile solution for neutralizing unwanted drone activity. However, further development is always progressing, emphasizes Patrick Esser: “We attach great importance to always keeping our finger on the pulse and adapting our technologies to the changing requirements of our customers.”
Funk Fuchs: Full service for wireless communication
For more than 50 years, Funk Fuchs has focused on wireless communication. The top priority of the Upper Austrian company in Hall 7 is to ensure secure and stable radio transmissions in the areas of radiotelephony, radio control and radio data transmission.
“As a full-service provider, we see our expertise not only in a high-quality product range, but also guarantee first-class service throughout the entire life cycle – from consulting to aftersales. As we also offer special solutions for special forces in our comprehensive portfolio, Enforce Tac has been a fixed part of our trade fair planning since 2019,” says Managing Director and shareholder Dietmar Schernhammer with conviction.
At Enforce Tac 2025, the focus will be on presenting the latest generation of communication and headsets for police and military operations. The 3M Peltor ComTac VIII promises optimized system integration in an updated design as well as a high level of user-friendliness and comfort.
At home in the world’s oceans: Outer Limits
Since 2007, Outer Limits has been providing solutions for diving special forces (-> Review of the Outer Limits Experience Week 2024). The company develops and distributes equipment for diving and boarding and also provides training and consultancy to government customers worldwide. At Enforce Tac, in addition to the presentation of the latest drysuit series, several new developments can be seen in Hall 7: Diveable backpacks and weapon pouches, extremely lightweight tactical lifejackets and a lifejacket with a puncture-resistant inner bladder.
Ulbrichts: Real protection in action
Ulbrichts produces ballistic helmets with high protection classes and low weight for police and military units. At Enforce Tac, Thomas Poandl, Head of Marketing & Communication at Ulbrichts (-> Interview with Militär Aktuell), presented the Optio, Optio+ and Zenturio helmets (-> Ulbrichts presents the new VPAM), Fortis is also on board. The protective shield upgrades all generations of Ulbrichts helmets with protection against long weapon calibers. But the development doesn’t stop there: “The next step is definitely protection against armor-piercing ammunition,” reveals Thomas Poandl in an interview with Militär Aktuell. Postscript: “This is a world first in the field of real head protection.”
Achleitner: Special protection vehicles “made in Tyrol”
With its special protection vehicles, the Tyrolean family business Franz Achleitner Fahrzeugbau has long since made a name for itself internationally. The company’s portfolio includes the all-terrain Speedfighter, the protected Cabin Protect for a wide range of standardized truck cabs and the Talos (also on display at the stand in Hall 7), a protected version of the Land Cruiser 300 in protection classes VPAM BRV VR7 and VR9.
The Austrian Ministry of the Interior recently opted for one of the company’s WEGA special operations unit for an armored HMV Survivor I from the company. and the PMV Survivor II, which is built on a MAN truck chassis, can be customized with extensive special equipment such as dozer blades, ramming spikes, camera, video and audio equipment. Rheinmetall sells the Achleitner offshoot as the Survivor R on the German market, among others, as part of a cooperation. A major order recently came from the German Ministry of the Interior, which is replacing its Special Vehicle 4 with 55 vehicles of this type.
This year, Achleitner has once again brought its passive door opening system presented for the first time last year at Enforce Tac. Developed together with a special police unit, Insight is designed to support special task forces and special operations forces during access operations and reduce the risk potential during operations.
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