7/10/2023 4:02 pm (act. 7/10/2023 6:26 pm)
Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) and Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP) visited the government bunker on Monday. ©APA/BARBARA GINDL
On Monday, Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (both ÖVP) visited the “government bunker” in St. Johann im Pongau.
In this “heart” of the Austrian air force, the Austrian headquarters must also be located when Austria participates in the European Sky Shield Initiative. It was again emphasized to journalists that Austria’s sovereignty over its own armed forces and its neutrality were guaranteed.
The chancellor visited the Sky Shield headquarters in the government bunker
In view of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, it is necessary to close existing surveillance gaps, Nehammer said. And the Minister of Defense said: “the world has changed, we have to protect our airspace”. She described the timetable, whereby the entire Sky Shield protective shield must be opened by 2025, as ambitious.
Tanner expects a budget of around two billion euros
Currently, Tanner expects a budget of around two billion euros, which is needed for the army’s development plan for ground air defense until 2032. However, this figure could still change depending on the specifications. More details will be ascertained in September of this year, in a meeting with the inspector of the German air force in Germany, where the first concrete steps will be discussed. “Then we’ll see how far we can push our possibilities” and what technical equipment is needed.
Currently, Tanner expects a budget of around two billion euros, which is needed for the army’s development plan for ground air defense until 2032. However, this figure could still change depending on the specifications. More details will be ascertained in September of this year, in a meeting with the inspector of the German air force in Germany, where the first concrete steps will be discussed. “Then we’ll see how far we can push our possibilities” and what technical equipment is needed.
The letter of intent signed in Switzerland on Friday was an important step forward, explained Air Force Commander Brigadier Gerfried Promberger. Austria now has access to key Sky Shield planning data. “Now let’s move on to detailed planning”, taking into account practicality, economy and economy.
It is not yet known which EU country the Sky Shield command will be in
In which country the European command of Sky Shield will be located, he does not yet know, Promberger said. “There may be information in September.” Land air defense still has outdated technology, “thanks to the Minister of Defense we can plan”. With regard to Sky Shield, the Brigadier spoke in favor of technically tested and commercially available systems. He thinks it makes sense for Austria to join a consortium with other nations, “otherwise we would buy individual pieces as a single nation, that’s not our goal”.
The European Sky Shield Initiative now includes 19 countries
The “European Sky Shield Initiative” (ESSI) came from the EU and NATO, Germany, and now includes 19 countries. The objective is to better coordinate and, if necessary, group acquisition projects for ground air defense. The crash of a military drone apparently launched from Ukrainian territory in Zagreb last year could have been prevented by Sky Shield, “this cruise missile would not have gone that far”, explained the brigadier.
Air surveillance in Austria to be expanded
In the future, airspace surveillance in Austria will be expanded and the exchange of radar data with other countries will be intensified. One of the objectives is participation in the “German Experimental Tracking and Surveillance Radar” (GESTRA). It is a radar system for observing and tracking objects in space, such as satellites, spacecraft or space debris. In case of danger, Austria could immediately trigger a civil defense alarm, Promberger said.
Aerial surveillance “Gold Dome” is “Leading Edge”
The Brigadier described the Austrian airspace surveillance and command and control system “Goldhaube” as the “vanguard” in Europe. Goldhaube has a range south of Berlin and Srebrenica and further east. Altitude detection ranges up to 61 kilometers.
1.93 million flights over Austria in 2022
In 2022, there were 1.93 million overflights over Austrian territory and, on average, sirens went off 30 to 40 times a year in Zeltweg, where the Eurofighters are stationed, due to a flight safety incident, the safety center said. government bunker monitoring. The 20 minutes that would last from the start of the alarm to “effectiveness in western Austria” was enough, he said. In the event of a military threat scenario, military aircraft would be airborne anyway.