The Salzburg Armed Forces are being modernized – salzburg.ORF.at
Business
After a century of savings, the army’s national defense is now to be modernized by 16.6 billion euros. Salzburg’s soldiers and barracks also benefit from this – albeit not as much as interest groups would like.
There is something like a spirit of optimism that can be felt in the army. Due to the increased military budget, investments in many areas of the next military are also to be made in Salzburg over the years, such as the infrastructure in the barracks, in long-distance equipment and engineer tanks for the engineer battalion. In addition, money should flow into drone and cyber defense.
These investments are essential for survival, emphasizes the Salzburg military commander, Anton Waldner: “We were thinned out. We have invested in the area of police assistance and disaster relief. National defense has collapsed. There is no question that our actual priority must be national defense.”
Not enough for interest groups
Interest groups criticize the lack of militia exercises for a complete national defense. Despite the increase in the military budget, Michael Schaffer from the militia association remains somewhat skeptical. According to Schaffer, the investments in the infrastructure and in the equipment of the soldiers and employees are good, but this does not automatically improve national defense. “For this, a military system is needed, as provided for in the constitution. It makes absolutely no sense to run conscription in such a way that you draft people, train them and then never call them up again,” says Michael Schaffer.
A demand that Salzburg’s top military can also gain something from. “Practicing is the quintessence,” says Anton Waldner and calls for the six-month basic military service to be freed from long-term assistance assignments.
Army wants to offer militiamen more
In order to find enough militiamen again in the future, there should be financial incentives from the larger budget. The equipment should also be significantly improved and modernized in the militia in order to ultimately achieve a defense strength of 55,000 men.