This is a partial list of equipment currently used by the Austrian Armed Forces.

Equipment

Infantry weapons

Name Origin Type Calibre Quantity Photo Notes
Assault rifles and battle rifles
StG 77  Austria Assault rifle 5.56×45mm NATO Standard-issue rifle, vast majority are A1 rifles. A2 Kommando rifles with various attachements such as grenade launchers, optics and suppressors are used by the Jagdkommando SOF and Jägerbataillon 25.[1][2] Another variant in service exclusively with the Military police is the A1 MP.[3] In 2023, a new variant called A1 MOD was presented, modifications include a new 3x optic and additional picatinny rails. A total number of 14.400 rifles were ordered.[4]
StG 58  Belgium
 Austria 		Battle rifle 7.62×51mm NATO Former service rifle, now used as a ceremonial weapon by Austrian Guard Companies.
Pistols
P 80  Austria Semi-automatic pistol 9×19mm Parabellum Standard-issue pistol, upgraded to Gen 3 standard between 2002 and 2003.[5]
Glock 26  Austria Semi-automatic pistol 9×19mm Parabellum 300[6]
Submachine guns
FN P90  Belgium Personal defense weapon FN 5.7×28mm
Sniper rifles
Steyr SSG 69  Austria Sniper rifle 7.62×51mm NATO
mSSG Steyr 08A2  Austria Sniper rifle .338 Lapua Magnum 120[6]
lSSG HK417P  Germany Designated marksman rifle 7.62×51mm NATO 72[6]
sSSG M82 A1  United States Anti-materiel rifle .50 BMG 102[6]
Machine guns
MG 74  West Germany
 Austria 		Machine gun 7.62×51mm NATO Standard general-purpose machine gun.
MG MAG  Belgium Machine gun 7.62×51mm NATO Used on Leopard 2A4 tanks, Ulan IFVs and Black Hawk helicopters.
12,7 mm üsMG M2  United States Heavy machine gun .50 BMG Standard heavy machine gun.
Anti-tank weapons
PAL 2000 "Bill"  Sweden Anti-tank weapon 339[7]
8,4 cm PAR 66/79  Sweden Anti-tank weapon
Grenade launchers
Madritsch Weapon Technology ML40[8]  Austria Grenade launcher
Mortars
12 cm GrW 86  Austria 120mm mortar 85[9] Commercially known as Hirtenberger M12-1111.
8,1 cm mGrW 82  United Kingdom 81mm mortar

Armoured vehicles and specialized equipment

Name Origin Type Number Photo Notes
Armour and other vehicles
KPz "Leopard"  West Germany Main battle tank 58[10] Originally 114 surplus Leopard 2A4 tanks were bought from the Netherlands as part of the "Mech-Paket" in a broader effort to modernize all mechanized units.[11] 40 tanks were decommissioned and sold to Krauss-Maffei Wegmann.[12] In 2023 a mid life extension under the project name (LEOPARD 2A4 NV) - NV being the short form for "Nutzungsverlängerung" - has been announced. All tanks will undergo various modification which include new optics and an electric turret drive, the main focus of the modification is the extension of the technical lifetime by replacing obsolete components which are no longer in production and no longer serviceable.[13]
SPz "Ulan"  Austria Infantry fighting vehicle 112[7] 112 vehicles were bought as part of the "Mech-Paket".[11] In 2023 a mid life extension has been announced, GDELS Steyr will modify all IFVs in service. A major part of the program is the overhaul of the drivetrain, all vehicles will receive a new air conditioning system for the troop compartment, mounts for the SAAB Barracuda camouflage system and all obsolete optics and electronic components of the fire control system will be replaced with modern counterparts.[13][14]
MTPz "Pandur"
MTPz "Pandur Evo" 		 Austria Armoured personnel carrier 68[7]
34+30+36 		68 Pandur I (MTPz/UN) were part of the "Mech-Paket", three ambulance vehicles (SanPzRd) were acquired in 2003 and in 2016 six armored personnel carriers and one ambulance vehicle were bought from Belgian surplus but were not put into active service, they remain unused in storage instead. All of the original 68 vehicles were upgraded to the A2 standard which incorporates numerous drivetrain improvements and a RCWS from ESL-AIT.[15]

In 2016 a contract was signed with GDELS for the delivery of 34 Pandur EVO, a much improved successor to the original Pandur I.[15] Additional contracts were signed for 100 Pandur EVO in total.[16]

Dingo 2  Germany Infantry mobility vehicle 20 Dingo 2 PatSi in 2004,[17] 12 Dingo 2 ATF AC and 3 Dingo 2 ATF NF in 2005,[18] 6 Dingo 2 ATF NF in 2013,[19]

14 Dingo 2 A3 PatSi and 4 Dingo 2 A3 MatE in 2016,[18] 32 Dingo 2 A3 PatSi and 8 Dingo 2 A3 MatE in 2017[20][21]

GMF "Husar"  Italy Light utility vehicle 150[22] Equipped with a RCWS from ESL-AIT. Out of these, 22 vehicles are equipped with a specialized reconnaissance sensor suite (BAA-EO GMF HUSAR), two vehicles are equipped with a mobile ground surveillance radar[23] and three vehicles with specialized equipment (GMF Husar PSYOPS) are used by the military police.[24]
BvS10 AUT  Sweden Tracked articulated vehicle 32[22] Specialized BvS10 AUT version currently in service which includes a number of improvements over the baseline BvS10 such as improved mine protection, a 360° observation system, the "Combat NG" battlefield management system and a RCWS from ESL-AIT.[25][26]
Armoured recovery vehicle
Bergepanzer "Greif" A1  Austria Armoured recovery vehicle 24[27]
BPz M-88  United States Armoured recovery vehicle 10[27] M88A1 version currently in service.
PiPz  Austria Armoured engineering vehicle 18[27]
Artillery
PzHb M109 A5Ö  United States
 Austria 		Self-propelled howitzer 53[7]
Air-defence
lFAL "Mistral"  France Surface-to-air missile 59[7] Originally equipped with Mistral 1 missiles, gradually replaced with Mistral 2 missiles. Coupled with Thomson-CSF (Thales Group) RAC 3D radars for target acquisition.
Thomson-CSF (Thales Group) RAC 3D  France Target acquisition radar 12
35 mm ZFlAK 85   Switzerland Towed anti-aircraft gun 24[7] Will be upgraded to GDF-009: with Skyguard-3 radar, networked operations control and AHEAD ammunition.https://www.bundesheer.at/aktuelles/detail/35-mm-luftabwehrsystem-wird-modernisiert
Selex RAT-31DL  Italy Long-range air surveillance radar 3 Stationary radar, upgraded by Leonardo in 2020.[28][29]
Selex RAT-31DL/M  Italy Long-range air surveillance radar Mobile radar, upgrade by Leonardo in 2020.[28][29]

Aircraft

Name Origin Type Number Photo Notes
Eurofighter Typhoon  United Kingdom
 Germany
 Italy
 Spain 		Multirole fighter 15[22] All aircraft are Tranche 1/Block 5/SRP 4.3, but lack the Praetorian DASS and EuroFIRST PIRATE. Currently armed only with short-range IRIS-T missiles.
Lockheed C-130 Hercules  United States Military transport aircraft 3[22] Three former RAF machines (Hercules C Mk.1P) were overhauled, upgraded and delivered between 2003 and 2004.[30] A fourth aircraft to be used for spare parts and ground training was delivered in 2015.[31]
Diamond DA40 NG  Austria Military trainer aircraft 4[22] Used for basic training (Phase 1) and pilot selection.[32]
Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer   Switzerland Military trainer aircraft 12[22] Used for advanced training (Phase 2) and can be armed with rocket pods and machine gun pods for close air support missions or interception of slow-moving aircraft and helicopters.[32]
Pilatus PC-6B Porter   Switzerland STOL utility aircraft 8[22]
Aérospatiale Alouette III  France Utility helicopter 24[22] Scheduled to be completely replaced by 2030 with AW-169.
AW169M  Italy Utility helicopter 36[33] To be delivered between 2022 and 2026. Will feature different sets of integrated mission equipment (SAR, SOF, recon, etc.) and weapon systems.

12 AW-169 M.A. in multirole configuration and 6 AW-169 B trainers ordered.[34]

First helicopter handed over to the Austrian Armed Forces on December 21, 2022.[35]

A contract to exercise options for 18 additional helicopters was signed in January 2023.[33]

Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk  United States Utility helicopter 9+3[22] S-70A-42 export version, 9 helicopters were delivered in 2002.[36] A modernization program in cooperation with Ace Aeronautics LLC is in progress which includes new avionics and a completely new glass cockpit, three second-hand helicopters with the same glass cockpit will be bought eventually as per agreement.[37]
Agusta-Bell AB 212  United States
 Canada
 Italy 		Utility helicopter 23[22] All helicopters underwent a MLU between 2010 and 2016, as a part of it the machines received a new glass cockpit and a defensive aide suite.[38]
Bell OH-58 Kiowa  United States Observation helicopter 10[22]
EADS TRACKER  Europe Unmanned aerial vehicle 18[39] A TRACKER system consists of the two control units (laptops), the transmitter/receiver unit and three flight units. In total, 18 TRACKER flight units were therefore procured.

Planned Investments

In 2022, Defense Minister of the Austrian Armed Forces, Klaudia Tanner, unveiled the new "Mission Forward" plan, a 10 year long investment plan into the Armed forces totaling at over €16 Billion Euros [40][41]

Name Origin Type Number Photo Notes
Various Logistics Vehicles

from RMMV

 Germany
 Austria 		Logistics Vehicle up to

1,375

Rheinmetall HX3 Deal between the Austrian Government and RMMV, up to 1,375 Logistics vehicles of HX, TGS and TGM will be produced in Vienna[42]
Embraer C390 Brazil Military transport aircraft 4-5 The 3 C130 Hercules are to be replaced by 4-5 Transport aircraft, the Bundesheer is currently eyeing the Embraer C-390.[43]
Eurofighter

Typhoon

 United Kingdom
 Germany
 Italy
 Spain 		Multirole Fighter 4[44] In an interview with Upper Austrian News, Defense Minister Tanner said that an initial €1,6 Billion Euros had been invested into the Air force with 4 new airframes of two-seated Eurofighters planned[45][44]
A Fleet of 18 Jet Trainers / Light Combat  Italy
 Czech Republic 		Military trainer aircraft

Light Combat Aircraft

18[44] On top of the 4 German two-seated Eurofighter airframes, the budget will be used for a second fleet of 18 Jets consisting of either the M-346FA (Fighter Attack) or the L-39NG.
Sikorsky S70 Blackhawks  United States Utility helicopter 3+12[46][47] On top of the 3 Black Hawks already ordered by the MoD, the ÖBH is pursuing a second fleet of 12 Black Hawks.[46][47]
AW169M  Italy Utility helicopter 36[33] To be delivered between 2022 and 2026. Will feature different sets of integrated mission equipment (SAR, SOF, recon, etc.) and weapon systems.

12 AW-169 M.A. in multirole configuration and 6 AW-169 B trainers ordered.[34]

First helicopter handed over to the Austrian Armed Forces on December 21, 2022.[35]

A contract to exercise options for 18 additional helicopters was signed in January 2023.[33]

IRIS-T Airdefence /

European Sky Shield

 Germany
 Europe 		Air-Defence System 8 Batteries of 3 Launchers each As part of the European Sky Shield air defense system, Austria is planning joint procurement and training with Germany. Austria will procure 4 Batteries of IRIS-T Medium and 4 Batteries of IRIS-T Small range Air defense systems with 3 Launch systems in each Battery.[48]
Long range Air defense system  United States
 Israel 		Long Range Air-Defense System Unknown The government announced that for the first time in the history of Austria, it would pursue long range Air-Defense missiles, the project would cost somewhere between €2-4 Billion Euros and possible options are the American Patriot and the Israeli-American Arrow 3[49]

References

  1. ^ Sturmgewehr 77 A2 Kommando, retrieved 2022-11-05
  2. ^ spartanat; spartanat (2017-02-22). "SPARTANAT Firearms – Das Sturmgewehr 77 A2 Kommando". SPARTANAT (in German). Retrieved 2022-11-05.
  3. ^ Doppeladler. "NEUES STURMGEWEHR FÜR MILITÄRPOLIZEI | DOPPELADLER.COM" (in German). Retrieved 2022-11-05.
  4. ^ redaktion, spartanat (2023-02-17). "STG77 A1 MOD: MODIFIZIERTE STURMGEWEHRE FÜR DIE TRUPPE". SPARTANAT (in German). Retrieved 2023-02-18.
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