Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP) wants more money for the armed forces despite the enormous national debt that the corona crisis has caused. “Security does not come free of charge, as evidenced by the corona crisis, among other things, which Austria could not cope with without its army,” said Tanner in an APA interview and made people sit up and take notice with a rather surprising announcement: She is preparing to buy the C-130 Hercules -Transport aircraft in front.
Image: APA
You will set up a working group at the beginning of the year to clarify the procurement of transport aircraft. “The same thing must not happen again as with the Saab 105. The successor decision for the Saab 105 should have been made years ago. Unfortunately, this was not made. Procurements in this area take time, you don't buy candy in the supermarket “, Tanner criticizes her predecessors and wants to avoid something similar with Herkules.
Several of Tanner's predecessors postponed the decision to purchase the Swedish Saab, which was used as a training and identification aircraft, until nothing was purchased, the training aircraft left without a successor at the end of 2020 and airspace monitoring was only carried out with the 15 Eurofighters must become. The minister will not change anything in the near future, she says in the interview. “Airspace surveillance and pilot training are currently secured.” The Eurofighter is a good device and can protect the airspace for many years to come. But in the medium and long term you will have to do something, said Tanner.
In other areas, however, the minister has plans. Tanner names the development of the autarky of the barracks as well as the greening of barracks, investments in terror and cyber defense and the expansion of military medical services and NBC defense as the focus for the new year. “The year 2020 showed us where our priorities have to be.” The focus is on terrorist threats and their consequences, for example a blackout. “We will make major investments in military equipment, such as armored vehicles and weapons, as well as launch a personnel offensive in the cyber defense area.”
Tanner rejects criticism of the introduction of partial suitability and is convinced that it would hold up before the Supreme Court. “Partial fitness is about giving more young men the opportunity to do their service to the republic and the population. If you consider that every fourth young man and in some regions even every third young man is now unfit, so this was and is a necessary step. “
