Austrian air defence is the air defense system that protects the nation of Austria. It integrates civilian and military radar systems under the authority of the Austrian Air Force.
Austrian air defence is the air defense system that protects the nation of Austria. It integrates civilian and military radar systems under the authority of the Austrian Air Force.
From 1964 to 1970 the first, fixed radar-station Kolomannsberg near Salzburg was developed. It combined with support from two-dimensional radar data from civil airports and mobile Bendix AN/TPS-1 search radars.
From 1970 to 1983 the Goldhaube radar system was planned and activated. It included the purchase of an Italian Selenia (nowadays Alenia) RAT-31S & MRCS-403 radar system, planning and building of the Einsatzzentrale/Basisraum (government crisis bunker), the building of the fixed radar stations Speikkogel and Steinmandl and the airtraffic control center Schnirchgasse Wien (Vienna).It is named after a traditional Austrian women's cap.
In 1973 a combined civil/military project Flugverkehrskontrolle - Luftraumüberwachung (airtraffic and airspace control) was inaugurated to integrate both services. In 1975 the Stab Luftraum Beobachtungs System (air control staff) was activated in the Austrian air force.
Military requirements included determining the altitude of aircraft sightings as well as seeing beyond Austria's borders was absolutely necessary. After the evaluation authorities approved a three-dimensional radar system in which distance, heading and altitude were incorporated in a single radar picture.
Austrian military staff decided to buy the Italian Selenia RAT-31S / MRCS-403[1] instead of the American Westinghouse AN/TPS-43E system.
The Selenia system suffered development problems in the mid-1980s, delaying activation.
From 1997 to 2000 Austria ordered and activated EF2000 Typhoon Eurofighter interceptors and ordered a Long-Range Radar (RAT-31DL) system extension.
From 2000 to 2007 24 Saab Draken fighter interceptors were decommissioned, additional Eurofighters were ordered, 12 F-5E Tiger II aircraft on loan from Switzerland were decommissioned,[2] IRIS-T missiles were procured for the Eurofighters and the RAT-31DL on Kolomannsberg achieved operational readiness.
The Einsatzzentrale/Basisraum (EZ/B) is a command center and government crisis bunker, situated 300m inside a mountain near the village of Heukareck, in the vicinity of St. Johann and Salzburg. The bunker, known by some as "der Berg" (the mountain), was built from 1977–1982 to house military and civilian leadership during a crisis. The three main radar stations are located on the mountains of Kolomannsberg, Koralpe and Buschberg.
