On August 21, 2018, Defense Minister Mario Kunasek handed over the first new pioneer boats in Melk. 15 of the newly procured boats were received by the troops and then presented.
A further 65 units are to be handed over to sappers and fighter commandos by mid-2019. The cost of the 80 boats amounts to a total of 1,195,200 euros.
The Minister of Defense is very pleased with the new acquisition: “The troops need modern and powerful equipment to be able to carry out their tasks without any problems. The new boats meet all quality requirements and I am delighted to be able to hand them over to the pioneers.” The new aluminum pioneer multipurpose boat (ALU Pi-Boot) from the Austrian company Öswag replaces the plastic pioneer boat, which is no longer worth repairing due to its age. The ALU Pi boat is state of the art and impresses with its excellent handling characteristics and low weight. It can also be launched by the crew in rough terrain and over obstacles. As both people and loads can be transported, the boat can be used universally. It can be rowed by one to eight people, pushed with boat hooks or operated with outboard motors. The ALU Pi boat is used in disaster relief operations, for example, where work and transport boats can no longer be used due to the general conditions.
