Tanner praises “largest military exercise in Austria in 10 years”

From 10 to 21 June, 7,500 soldiers and civilian employees from Austria, Germany, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Sweden, Croatia and Montenegro will be practicing preparation for military protection operations and operational readiness within the framework of international crisis management in four federal states.

Self-sufficient tent camp

The Federal Army is practicing the protection of transit routes, neuralgic points and important objects on Austrian territory across the federal states of Burgenland, Lower Austria, Styria and Carinthia, according to a press release from the Ministry of Defense. The integration of militia forces and preparation for combating current threat situations and hybrid threats are also being trained. For this purpose, some of the national and international forces live in a completely self-sufficient tent camp. In addition, a field hospital of the German Bundeswehr is operated jointly with Swedish soldiers.

“We are still a long way from our goal”

Tanner emphasized: “With ‘Protective Shield 24’, the largest exercise in more than a decade began this week. Large-scale exercises like this are necessary for a smoothly functioning national defense.” The overall exercise leader and commander of the land and special forces, Major General Martin Dorfer, added: “The ‘Protective Shield 24’ exercise is the first step in restoring the credibility of the Austrian armed forces. But we are still a long way from our goal.” Cooperation in national and international crisis and conflict management requires that “our internal processes work,” said Dorfer.