Brigades were the army's counterattack and reserve forces, held back until the Landwehr units would have worn down enemy forces.
Landwehr regiments were to defend key areas (Schlüsselzonen) which the enemy would not be allowed to pass through.
Landwehr battalions (Landwehrbataillone) were static battalions tasked with defending their area of operations.
Blocking battalions and companies (Sperrbataillone and Sperrkompanien) were to defend fortified positions.
Light Infantry battalions and companies (Jagdkampfbataillone and Jagdkampfkompanien) were meant to fight behind enemy lines and disrupt logistic supply lines.
River-blocking companies (Flusssperrkompanien) would have had to prevent the enemy from crossing rivers at fords.
Guard companies (Wachkompanien) were to guard key infrastructure.
Guard-blocking companies (Wachsperrkompanien) would have guarded transport infrastructure (i.e. bridges, tunnels) and had to prevent the enemy from using the infrastructure.
Fortification Artillery batteries (Artilleriebatterie ortsfest) would have employed
M2 155mm howitzers in bunkers to lay suppressing fire on enemy approach routes.
On 1 March 1978, the "Wehrgesetz 1978" became law, which encompassed the "Heeresgliederung 1978" plan to grow the Austrian Armed Forces to 384,000 (84,000 active, 300,000 militia) by the early 1990s to be able to fully employ the Austrian
de:Raumverteidigung's concept. A total of 30 new Landwehrstammregimenter were to be raised. On 6 October 1987, the Austrian government enacted the "Heeresgliederung 1987", which instructed the armed forces to stop the growth of the militia at 200,000. Afterwards only the militia's infantry grew, making 1988-1989 the timeframe Austria's armed forces reached their maximum strength. On
29 May 1990 the "Wehrgesetz 1978" was cancelled and the army began to shrink, which accelerated with the
Gesamte Rechtsvorschrift für Wehrgesetz 1990, Fassung vom 31.12.1992.
The book about 50 years of Austria's Armed Forces published by the Landesverteidigungsakademie (Defense University,
ISBN3-902455-03-9) from page 671 to 697 looks at the "Strukturentwicklung des Bundesheeres von der „Wende“ 1989/90 bis zum Jahr 2003", choosing 1989/90 as one of the key years for the structural development of the Austrian Armed Forces. (Other years relevant 1962/63 Bundesheerreform, 1978 Raumverteidigung, 2003/04 Heeresreform).
Aspects of Heeresgliederung 1978, Heeresgliederung 1987 and Raumverteidigung (
[1],
[2],
[3],
[4], etc.),
Brigades were the army's counterattack and reserve forces, held back until the Landwehr units would have worn down enemy forces.
Landwehr regiments were to defend key areas (Schlüsselzonen) which the enemy would not be allowed to pass through.
Landwehr battalions (Landwehrbataillone) were static battalions tasked with defending their area of operations.
Blocking battalions and companies (Sperrbataillone and Sperrkompanien) were to defend fortified positions.
Light Infantry battalions and companies (Jagdkampfbataillone and Jagdkampfkompanien) were meant to fight behind enemy lines and disrupt logistic supply lines.
River-blocking companies (Flusssperrkompanien) would have had to prevent the enemy from crossing rivers at fords.
Guard companies (Wachkompanien) were to guard key infrastructure.
Guard-blocking companies (Wachsperrkompanien) would have guarded transport infrastructure (i.e. bridges, tunnels) and had to prevent the enemy from using the infrastructure.
Fortification Artillery batteries (Artilleriebatterie ortsfest) would have employed
M2 155mm howitzers in bunkers to lay suppressing fire on enemy approach routes.
On 1 March 1978, the "Wehrgesetz 1978" became law, which encompassed the "Heeresgliederung 1978" plan to grow the Austrian Armed Forces to 384,000 (84,000 active, 300,000 militia) by the early 1990s to be able to fully employ the Austrian
de:Raumverteidigung's concept. A total of 30 new Landwehrstammregimenter were to be raised. On 6 October 1987, the Austrian government enacted the "Heeresgliederung 1987", which instructed the armed forces to stop the growth of the militia at 200,000. Afterwards only the militia's infantry grew, making 1988-1989 the timeframe Austria's armed forces reached their maximum strength. On
29 May 1990 the "Wehrgesetz 1978" was cancelled and the army began to shrink, which accelerated with the
Gesamte Rechtsvorschrift für Wehrgesetz 1990, Fassung vom 31.12.1992.
The book about 50 years of Austria's Armed Forces published by the Landesverteidigungsakademie (Defense University,
ISBN3-902455-03-9) from page 671 to 697 looks at the "Strukturentwicklung des Bundesheeres von der „Wende“ 1989/90 bis zum Jahr 2003", choosing 1989/90 as one of the key years for the structural development of the Austrian Armed Forces. (Other years relevant 1962/63 Bundesheerreform, 1978 Raumverteidigung, 2003/04 Heeresreform).
Aspects of Heeresgliederung 1978, Heeresgliederung 1987 and Raumverteidigung (
[1],
[2],
[3],
[4], etc.),