The Ministry of Defense has been conducting annual surveys for the past four years to find out how the Austrian population perceives the security and threat situation in Austria, Europe and worldwide. In addition, the views of the population on defense policy and the assessment of the image of the Armed Forces are recorded.
As in the previous year, the Austrian population’s perception of the security situation is more pessimistic than in previous years. However, compared to the previous year, the survey shows a more positive assessment of the armed forces in terms of performance, training and equipment. The attractiveness of the armed forces as an employer has also increased.
Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner commented: “The aim of Mission Forward is to bring the Austrian Armed Forces firmly into the 21st century in order to be optimally equipped for all threat scenarios. We now have the means to strengthen military national defence capabilities in accordance with the ‘2032+’ development plan and to modernize land forces, air forces, cyber forces and special operations forces. The Forward Mission is also reflected in the survey of public opinion on security policy.”
Furthermore, around 70 percent are in favor of increasing the budget for the armed forces and using these budget funds to improve mobility, equipment and the self-sufficiency of the barracks. The majority of the population also stated that awareness of the importance of national defense should be increased by informing school-age children about the purpose and tasks of the armed forces. Approval of neutrality remains largely unchanged at around 75%.
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