In 1955, Austria has declared her Everlasting Neutrality, and has made neutrality a constitutional law. The main purpose of the Austrian military was the protection of Austria's neutrality.
With the end of the Cold War, Austrian military has also increasingly been used to safeguard Austrian borders against illegal immigrants.
Austria's support of the US-led coalition in the 1991 Gulf War, as well as Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995 are seen as a weakening of Austria's neutrality, and possibly first steps to joining a (future) European military alliance.
Recently Austria spend considerable amounts of money for an update of her military arsenals. Leopard 2 main battle tanks, ULAN and Pandur infantry fighting vehicles, C-130 Hercules transport planes, UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters, and Eurofighter Typhoon multi-role combat aircraft have been (or are beeing) purchased. ---
Military branches:
- Army (includes Flying Division)
- 19 years of age
- males age 15-49: 2,088,993 (2000 est.)
- males age 15-49: 1,733,681 (2000 est.)
- males: 51,335 (2000 est.)
- $1.7 billion (FY98)
- 1.2% (FY98)
Reference
Much of the material in this article comes from the CIA World Factbook 2000.
- See also : Austria
