House fight in the video

“You know exactly where the weapon and head are”

House-to-house combat presentation in the new simulator: AAB4 soldiers with commander Georg Schiller (standing in the middle) showed off the new training facilities.(Bild: KLAUS SCHINDLER)

Because soldiers are supposed to protect and defend people in the best possible way in an emergency, the Austrian Armed Forces also rely on new combat simulators, one of which has now been put into operation at the Allentsteig military training area. This significantly supplements and expands the urban training facility, as the analysis brings the most precise details to light.

The soldiers of Reconnaissance and Artillery Battalion (AAB) 4 from the Liechtenstein Barracks in Allentsteig are slowly advancing. It is night, shots and shell impacts can be heard from afar and are rapidly approaching. Suddenly the group comes under fire: the men quickly take up defensive positions and begin to return fire. This scenario was practiced by five soldiers during the blessing of the new combat simulator at the Kaufholz camp - see video.

Vibration and sound-controlled underground 
One of many scenarios that can be practiced with the new combat simulator at the Allentsteig military training area (TÜPl). The modern achievement cost two million euros and includes an air-conditioned hall that allows up to eight soldiers to train simultaneously on a 150-degree screen and a vibration and sound-controlled plate. The simulator is already the sixth to be deployed for the army.

Protecting and defending people
"So that the soldiers can protect and defend people in the best possible way in an emergency," said Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner, emphasizing that the simulator allows for far more sophisticated training and significantly expands the urban training facility in Allentsteig.

Partnership between the Allentsteig military training area (TÜPl) and the small region "Heart of the Waldviertel": Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (3rd from right) and Commander Herbert Gaugusch (right) with the mayors of the five municipalities.(Bild: KLAUS SCHINDLER)

Partnership with the entire region
TÜPl commander Herbert Gaugusch received great praise for the extremely good cooperation from the mayors of the small region "Heart of the Waldviertel", with whom the armed forces have now also established a partnership. Gaugusch: "Freedom was hard-won and unfortunately cannot be taken for granted even today." The aim is to work together to make the ambivalent history of the TÜPl comprehensible to young people.

Cooperation and the natural environment highlighted
Other goals of the TÜPl boss are to open up the site further to the civilian population in the form of more presentations and to highlight the special natural environment on the approximately 15,700-hectare site. "Because this is Austria's secret national park," was a relatively unanimous opinion among the guests. And only the restricted military area was able to provide such untouched nature.