Austrian Armed Forces conduct critical infrastructure protection exercise

The Austrian Armed Forces (Bundesheer) recently completed a two-week military exercise focused on protecting critical infrastructure. For the first time since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the training took place on Austrian soil, specifically at the decommissioned Riedersbach coal-fired power plant owned by Energie AG Oberösterreich.

Approximately 130 soldiers from the Ried im Innkreis garrison participated in the drills. The exercise involved various scenarios designed to secure industrial facilities, utilizing specialized units and vehicles, including four infantry fighting vehicles. The primary objective was to practice defending an attacked power plant and reclaiming control of the site without causing structural damage.

Exercise leader Maximilian Staudinger described the maneuvers as a “highly demanding, air- and ground-based operation.” While drones were not used during the drills, aircraft provided aerial reconnaissance. Leonhard Schitter, CEO of Energie AG, emphasized the necessity of such training, noting that critical infrastructure is increasingly a target in security-political conflicts through physical, digital, or drone-based attacks.