laststandonzombieisland

For the first time in over 30 years, a sizable number of Swiss troops are headed “abroad” for Kampfübungen (war games).

Some 1,000 Swiss soldiers, primarily personnel on their mandatory service period, are from Mechanisierten Bataillon 14 and Mechanisierten Brigade 11 under Brigadier Christoph Roduner. Key to the country’s restrictions on the use of conscripts, all have volunteered to serve outside the country.

They will be running around the 40,000-acre Allentsteig Truppenübungsplatz training area in Lower Austria, northwest of Vienna.

Importantly, the large Austrian maneuver area at Allentsteig is six times larger than the Swiss Army’s two combat training centers (GAZ East and GAZ West) combined, so their Leopard 2A4s (Pz 87 WE) and CV9030 CH (Spz 2000) IFVs get to stretch their legs for the first time.

The heavy equipment was moved by train from Thun to Allentsteig while the personnel convoyed for 12 hours over roads in light vehicles.

The exercise, Trias 25 (Triad 25), will also see 120 Austrian Bundesheer and 160 German Bundeswehr troops participate.