28 Dec 24. Austria to acquire twelve M346FA Masters. Austria retired its last Saab 105Ö aircraft after a final operational flight on 31 December 2020, after nearly 50 years as the Austrian Air Force’s jet training aircraft with Fliegerregiment 3 at Horsching Air Base. In the interim, Austrian pilots were to be trained by the International Flight Training School (IFTS) at Decimomannu Air Base in Sardinia, Italy, on the T-346A.
Funding for the purchase of a new trainer was allocated in the 2022 multi-year financial framework and the “ÖBH 2032+” development plan, and the Bundesheer General Staff evaluated a number of alternatives, including the Aero Vodochody L-39NG and the Boeing/Saab T-7A Red Hawk, as well as Leonardo’s M346FA.
On 27 August 2024, Klaudia Tanner, the Austrian Defence Minister, said that she was reviewing an ‘interesting’ offer from the Italian Ministry of Defence (MoD) for a joint procurement of Leonardo M346s, with a timeline that she said was ‘not that far off.’
On 28 December 2024, Tanner announced that Austria will buy 12 Leonardo M346FA aircraft for the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) under a government to government agreement, and that negotiations are currently underway, with some focus on industrial co-operation and the potential involvement of Austrian businesses, in order to bring added value to the economy and to strengthen Austria’s domestic industry.
Klaudia Tanner said that: “By purchasing these jets, we are addressing a significant capability gap in our air force. This enables us to bring 100% of pilot training back to Austria while significantly enhancing air defence. It strengthens the protection of Austria, its population, and our neutrality against aerial threats.” (Source: Google/https://aerospaceglobalnews.com)
20 Dec 24. Rheinmetall supports Bundeswehr in Lithuania with Mobile Combat Training Center ‘Legatus.’ Rheinmetall has successfully tested the technical requirements for interconnected training and exercise operations of the German Bundeswehr involving its forces in Lithuania. The basis for this was the already established and validated live simulation-technology from the Army Combat Training Center in Letzlingen/ Altmark. The Group carried out a successful test of the data and radio transmission connections between the two countries on behalf of the Bundeswehr with its Mobile Combat Training Center (MCTC) “Legatus”. For this, mobile container solutions were used in Lithuania and in Germany. The simulation technologies at the MCTC enable a realistic performance of complex deployment scenarios. The aim was to establish and operate a fully comprehensive connection between Germany and Lithuania using state-of-the-art live simulation. The project thereby relied on the resources of the Combat Training Center based on the Reachback-procedure (service / evaluation). The successful test was thus aimed at supporting the forces of the Bundeswehr directly on NATO’s eastern flank. Almost all of the technical functional chains established at the German Army’s Combat Training Center, also presenting the artillery and engineer support capabilities, were available for the project carried out in November 2024. From the individual infantry and vehicle technology (AGDUS) to the operational coordination via troop radio (VHF) and the live situation map within the evaluation center (EXCON) to the input of exercise support options, almost all tests have been completed successfully. For this, it was aimed at simulating the technical solutions for the troops in Lithuania as realistically as possible in order to create ideal training conditions and prepare the German armed forces in the best possible way. The aim of the test was to make the globally unique, high-quality and validated training standard available in Lithuania. The tested functions were demonstrated for the first time using the so-called Reachback-method, in which the Army Combat Training Center in Letzlingen was connected to the mobile system in Lithuania in real-time via the system.
The Bundeswehr evaluation personnel stationed in Germany were thus able to participate live and interactively in the exercise and prepare the subsequent after-action reviews in parallel. This approach allows an optimum use of the personnel resources already available for conducting and evaluating the exercise. Thanks to precise real-time analysis and immersive simulation, military users can learn directly from their experiences and continuously improve their tactical capabilities.
“Rheinmetall is helping to ensure that our soldiers are optimally trained for the challenges of today and tomorrow. We are proud of being part of this trial and to be shaping the future of training technology together with our partners. The advantage is that the system technology, already introduced at GefÜbZH, is available on the market and can therefore be deployed quickly to Lithuania,” explains Maik Nienaber, Head of System Technology Networked Training Systems.
“The connection test was an important milestone in evaluating how the forces, stationed in Lithuania, can be supported with state-of-the-art live simulation technology in the future. It has to be to create best conditions for the effective training of these forces”.
Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) Michael Engel, Head of the Army Combat Training Center Basics Group, explains: “The quality of the training and the technologies used at the Army Combat Training Center is world-leading. The successfully tested Reachback-function has proven that it is also possible to fall back on the resources and expertise of the Combat Training Center for the training of forces stationed on NATO’s eastern flank.”
16 Dec 24. In 2025 the Irish Defence Force will provide the Mechanised Force Protection Company (MFPC) for the EUROCORPS multinational headquarters, reports Carl Schulze. The EUROCORPS is a multinational corps-level headquarters for planning and commanding military operations of both the European Union and NATO. High Readiness Force (HRF) certified, it can be deployed ad hoc and intervene in and outside Europe in a wide range of missions at any level of intensity, ranging from crisis management, stabilisation and assistance up to full-scale high intensity war fighting.
In 2025 EUROCORPS will serve under the European Union’s Rapid Deployment Capacity (EU RDC) as Force Headquarters (FHQ) for the European Battle Group 2025 (EUBG 2025). Security for the EUROCORPS FHQ is ensured by the Mechanised Force Protection Company or MFPC. We recently visited the unit provided by the Irish Defence Force during the European Union Military Exercise 2024 (MilEx 24) held at the Bergen Training Area in northern Germany.
Like Austria, Cyprus and Malta the Republic of Ireland (Poblacht na hÉireann) is a member of the European Union, but not of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Since 1999, however, the Republic of Ireland has been an active member of NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme and has also signed up to NATO’s Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC). This said the country still maintains a historic strict policy of neutrality in armed conflicts.
The main aim of the PfP membership of the Republic of Ireland is to increase the interoperability of the Irish Defence Force with the forces of NATO member states in order to allow seamless cooperation when both have to operate together during a Peace Support Operation under United Nation (UN) mandate. Since 1955 the Republic of Ireland has been a member of the UN, and as such it has supported many UN Peace Support Operations in that time. During many of these missions troops of the Irish Defence Force closely cooperated with those of NATO member nations.
Participation in the EUBG rotations therefore has to be seen as part of the Republic of Ireland’s broader commitment to international peacekeeping and crisis management. The country has in fact been a long-standing and active contributor to European Union Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions, for example Operation ARTEMIS, EUFOR Chad, EUFOR BiH, EUTMs Mali and Somalia, EUMAM Ukraine, as well as several Naval deployments to the Mediterranean under Op PONTUS/SOPHIA and most recently EUNAVOR MED in 2023.
An Irish soldier of the MFPC conducts vehicle checks at the main gate of the EUROCORPS MOB during MilEx 2024 in Germany [© Carl Schulze]
The participation in the EUBG 2025 rotation is the Irish Defence Force’s eighth since the European Union decided to form the EU Battlegroups (EUBG) in July 2007 and these reached full operational capability in 2007. The Irish Defence Force have previously participated in the Nordic Battlegroups 2008, 2011 and 2015, the UK-led EUBG 2016 and the German-led EUBG 2012, 2016 and 2020.
IRCON: In the EUBG 2025 Force Package the Irish Defence Force are participating with 182 soldiers. While the bulk of these belong to the Mechanised Force Protection Company, this number also includes a platoon-size National Support Element (NSE) plus ten Officers and NCOs that serve in the EUROCORPS FHQ. The staff personnel are performing a variety of tasks, such as Intelligence, Operations, Training, Logistics, Strategic Communications and Political Advisor to the EUBG 2025 Force Commander.
The lead formation for the EUBG 2025 Force Package of the Irish Defence Force, also known as Irish Contingent (IRCON), is the Dublin based 2nd Brigade of the Irish Army. IRCON falls under command of the brigade while in Ireland. In the event of a deployment, IRCON comes under command of French Major General Geoffroy de Larouziere, the Deputy Commander (DCOM) of the EUROCORPS in Strasbourg. (Source: joint-forces.com)