As part of Panzer Battalion 14’s Tradition Day, Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner today handed over the first Leopard 2 main battle tank for modernization to KNDS – the merger of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Nexter.
In the “2032+ development plan” includes the modernization of 112 Ulan infantry fighting vehicles the modernization of 58 Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks is also planned in order to bring them electronically up to today’s technical standards. A total of 561 million euros will be spent on this, with the Leopard modernization alone costing around 240 million euros.
Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner: “Today’s Garrison Day in Wels is a special day for the Austrian Armed Forces: The first Leopard tanks are being brought to Germany to bring them up to date. We are thus taking another historic step and investing where it has been urgently needed for decades – with and for our troops. This is the only way we can guarantee the necessary protection for our population. In addition, the Wels barracks will also undergo a number of construction measures over the next few years in order to meet the demands of the future.”
“We are thus taking another historic step and investing where it has been urgently needed for decades – with and for our troops.
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Verteidigungsministerin Klaudia Tanner
The Minister also emphasized the special achievements of the garrison’s apprentices and the associated need for well-trained personnel to be able to operate new equipment accordingly. This year, the 200th apprentice celebrated the completion of his apprenticeship at the Army Logistics Center in Wels. After a bilateral meeting with Governor Thomas Stelzer, the Minister for Upper Austria also made it clear: “For our air force in Upper Austria, I would also like to make it clear that Hörsching will continue to be home to our future transport aircraft and the successor to the Agusta Bell helicopters stationed there. The advanced jet trainers currently being planned are also earmarked for Vogler Air Base, depending on the number procured at the end of the day.” https://militaeraktuell.at/gdels-steyr-der-pandur-als-fennek-nachfolger/ Governor Stelzer: “Today is a good day for the Austrian Armed Forces and for the protection of our homeland. Upper Austria stands by its armed forces and its soldiers. There is a joint commitment to modern equipment and the best training, to the optimal equipping of our barracks and troop bases.” The “Protection and Assistance” partnership for Upper Austria signed between the state of Upper Austria and the Ministry of Defense in the summer of 2021 also provides for corresponding investments by the Ministry of Defense. As part of the “Aufbauplan 2032+”, more than 200 million euros will be invested in infrastructure in Upper Austria to maintain and modernize barracks, among other things. “I am also grateful for the commitment made as part of the partnership to provide successor fleets for the Hercules aircraft and Agusta Bell helicopters at the Vogler airbase in the Hörsching barracks. This means that the second squadron of Black Hawk helicopters and the jet trainer will be stationed in Hörsching,” emphasized Governor Stelzer.
The military ceremony began on the occasion of Panzer Battalion 14’s Tradition Day, which marks its 106th anniversary this year. In memory of the deceased of the traditional troop body of the former Infantry Regiment 14, Tank Battalion 14 laid wreaths. The Army Logistics Center in Wels offers apprenticeships in ten professions and is the largest apprentice trainer in the Austrian Armed Forces. This year, the 200th apprentice is celebrating his graduation. To commemorate the visit to Wels, a journeywoman from the saddlery presented a camouflage-look handbag to Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner as an example of the diversity of this profession.
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