Current Title:	Osterreichische Luftstreitkrafte
Title in English:	Austrian Air Force
Abbreviation:	OLk

Narrative Summary:
Following the breakup of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a German-Austrian Flying Troop (Deutschösterreichische Fliegertruppe) was founded as an air policing service, with ex-wartime crews and aircraft. In 1919 the DF was ordered to be disbanded by the Allied Control Commission. On 1 April 1936 the Austrian Republic regained full sovereignty, although it was still prohibited from having any military aircraft. Even so, the Austrian Army quickly set up an Air Force. On 13 March 1938 Austria was incorporated into Germany, and the Air Force merged with the Luftwaffe. On 15 May 1955 Austria was re-established as a sovereign state. The present Air Force was formed in the same year.

Key Dates:
13 September 1955		Army air section formed
9 December 1955		Austrian Air Force re-established
1956		First helicopters received - AB47G
1957		First jet aircraft delivered - Vampire T.55

Current Status:
To be added

Future Plans:
The Eurofighter Typhoon was selected in 2003 as the new fighter to replace the J 35 Draken. 18 aircraft are due for delivery between 2007 and 2009. Close co-operation with Typhoon operations in neighbouring Germany is planned, to save costs.
Twelve F-5Es have been leased from the Swiss Air Force, for 4 years from July 2004, as an interim replacement for the Draken.

National Insignia:
Current --- Historical

Aircraft Serial Numbering System(s):

Austrian aircraft serials are number/letter codes, where the first combination appears to indicate the aircraft type, and the second combination is the individual identity, eg: AB.212 serial 5D-HB. The type codes are reused when an aircraft type is retired. Fighter aircraft (except the Typhoon) use a coloured letter system, where the colour indicates the parent squadron of the aircraft.

Aircraft Designation System(s):
None - Manufacturers designations used.

Current Aircraft Inventory:
Table of Current Service Aircraft

All-Time Aircraft Used List:
Alphabetical Order --- Chronological Order

Aircraft NOT Used:
False reports of aircraft on order or in service

Main Headquarters:
Ministry of Defence, Hütteldorfstrasse 126, Vienna A-1142.

Current Organisational Structure:
The air force is organised into a Flying Division of three Flying Regiments, each comprising one or two Wings with between two and four Squadrons each.

Current Order of Battle:
Table of Current Order of Battle

Historical Orders of Battle:
List of Historical Orders of Battle - to be added.

All-Time Flying Units List:
To be added.

Current Air Bases:
The main air bases currently used are Tulln/Langenlebarn, Zeltweg, Graz-Thalerhof, Aigen im Ennstal and Linz/Horsching. In addition, aircraft are detached from the parent units to another five air bases.

All-Time Air Bases Used List:
In addition to the main bases, here are also a number of smaller airports and airfields around the country which are sometimes used by the Air Force.
Military Air Bases Listing - to be added.

Books:

Austrian Military Aviation Bibliography - to be added.

Magazines:

World Air Power Journal No.5 p.141
World Air Power Journal No.15 p.120
Air Forces Research Nos.2 and 3
Air International July 1995
Air Forces Monthly August 1997

Websites:

Austrian Air Force Photo Feature

The Official Austrian Air Force Website

wikipedia: Austrian Air Force

Scramble: Austrian Air Force

Airpower.at

webshots

PlanePictures.net

Airliners.net

Austrian military aircraft register