Austria's Military Might: How Many Soldiers Does It Have?

Austria's military, the Bundesheer (BH), is made up of 15,000 professional soldiers, 18,000 draftees, 7,000 civilians and 25,000 reservists. The country's defence ministry says it provides hundreds of soldiers every day in the service of peace. The Austrian military has four tasks: defending the borders, operations abroad, assistance during natural catastrophes and infrastructure protection.

The Austrian army, the Bundesheer, has 15,000 professional soldiers

Austria's military is charged with four tasks: defending the borders, operations abroad, assistance during natural catastrophes and infrastructure protection. The Austrian Defence Ministry states that the country provides "hundreds of soldiers every day in the service of peace".

In the early 1990s, the Austrian Armed Forces were expanded to 384,000, including 84,000 active and 300,000 militia, to be able to fully employ the Austrian Raumverteidigung concept.

The army also has 18,000 draftees

The Austrian army, the Bundesheer (BH), has 18,000 draftees. The army is a 'military minnow', with 15,000 professional soldiers, 7,000 civilians and 25,000 reservists. It is an army that never fights, and is charged with four tasks: defending the borders, operations abroad, assistance during natural catastrophes and infrastructure protection.

Austria spends well under one per cent of its GNP on defence, about half the European average. The country is technically neutral, but has participated in the international PfP (Partnership for Peace) and various peacekeeping missions.

In the early 1990s, the Austrian Armed Forces were aiming to grow to 384,000, with 84,000 active and 300,000 militia.

There are 25,000 reservists

Austria's army, the Bundesheer (BH), is made up of 15,000 professional soldiers, 18,000 draftees, 7,000 civilians and 25,000 reservists. The reservists are known as the Miliz.

Austria's military is small compared to other countries. It is a conscription force, but it has too few conscripts. The country spends well under one per cent of its GNP on defence, which is about half the European average.

The Austrian Armed Forces were intended to grow to 384,000 by the early 1990s, with 84,000 active and 300,000 militia. However, it is unclear if this ever happened.

The Austrian military has a surplus of senior officers

The Austrian military, the Bundesheer (BH), has a total of 65,000 personnel, including 15,000 professional soldiers, 18,000 draftees, 7,000 civilians and 25,000 reservists.

The Austrian military has a unique role, as it is charged with four main tasks: defending the borders, conducting operations abroad, providing assistance during natural catastrophes, and protecting infrastructure. Despite Austria's technical neutrality, the Bundesheer has participated in international partnerships and peacekeeping missions.

The Austrian Armed Forces were once much larger, with a plan in the early 1990s to grow the military to 384,000 personnel (84,000 active, 300,000 militia). However, today's Austrian military is considered a "military minnow", with too few conscripts and a lack of funding.

Austria spends well under one per cent of GNP on defence

Austria's military, the Bundesheer (BH), is made up of 15,000 professional soldiers, 18,000 draftees, 7,000 civilians and 25,000 reservists. Austria spends well under one per cent of its GNP on defence, which is about half the European average. This is justified in popular debate as disaster response, with the Austrian army charged with four tasks: defending the borders, operations abroad, assistance during natural catastrophes and infrastructure protection.

Austria's military is a 'political orphan starved of funds', with a strange structure that includes too few conscripts and too many senior officers. The system of promotion in the Austrian military offers no incentive for early retirement, meaning that the military is top-heavy with senior officers. In 1991, the army had four officers of general rank, fifty-nine at the rank of brigadier general (one star), 155 colonels, and 254 lieutenant colonels. The education of career officers is conducted at the Maria Theresia Military Academy at Wiener Neustadt, forty-five kilometres south of Vienna, which was founded in 1752. Young men who have completed their university entrance requirements are eligible to compete for places.

The Wehrgesetz 1978 law, which came into effect on 1 March 1978, included a plan to grow the Austrian Armed Forces to 384,000 (84,000 active, 300,000 militia) by the early 1990s. Despite this, Austria's technical neutrality means that BH participation in the international PfP (Partnership for Peace) and various peacekeeping missions has become acceptable. The Defense Ministry’s site states that Austria provides “hundreds of soldiers every day in the service of peace”.

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