Ulrike Hutsteiner appointed head of Austrian Air Police

Ulrike Hutsteiner has been officially appointed as the head of the Austrian Air Police, effective September 1, 2026. The appointment was formalized by Director General Franz Ruf of the Ministry of the Interior, following her tenure as interim leader since May 2023.

Hutsteiner’s career began in 1994 with the Vienna Security Force. In 2002, she became the first woman in the Ministry of the Interior to qualify as a police helicopter pilot, a role she held for 14 years. Her professional background also includes academic work and various leadership positions within the department.

The Air Police department manages a fleet of 16 helicopters across seven operational sites, with Wiener Neustadt serving as the central maintenance and logistics hub. The unit’s responsibilities include crime fighting, search and rescue, and disaster relief for forest fires and flooding. Additionally, the department is expanding its use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to support special operations and large-scale events.