Editing Austrian Armed Forces (section)

=== Air Force ===
{{Main|Austrian Air Force}}

Austria's air force ({{langx|de|Luftstreitkräfte}}) has as its missions the defence of Austrian airspace, tactical support of Austrian ground forces, reconnaissance and military transport, and search-and-rescue support when requested by civil authorities.<ref name=":0" />

Until 1985, when the first of twenty-four [[Saab 35 Draken]] were delivered, the country had remained essentially without the capacity to contest violations of its airspace.<ref name=":0" /> The Drakens, reconditioned after having served the [[Swedish Air Force]] since the early 1960s, were armed, in accordance with the restrictions on missiles in the State Treaty of 1955, only with a cannon.<ref name=":0" /> However, following Austria's revised interpretation of its obligations under the treaty, a decision was made in 1993 to procure [[AIM-9 Sidewinder]] [[air-to-air missile]]s.<ref name=":0" /> The first of these missiles were purchased from Swedish air force inventory, while later a higher performance model was acquired directly from the United States, with deliveries commencing in 1995.<ref name=":0" /> French [[Mistral (missile)|Mistral]] [[surface-to-air missile]]s systems were purchased to add ground-based protection against air attack.<ref name=":0" /> The first of the systems arrived in Austria in 1993; final deliveries concluded in 1996.<ref name=":0" />

The Drakens were retired in 2005 and 12 [[Northrop F-5|F-5E Tiger II]] were leased from Switzerland to avoid a gap in the Austrian air defence capabilities until the first Austrian [[Eurofighter Typhoon]] units became operational in 2007. Besides one squadron of 15 Eurofighter Typhoons, the air force has a squadron with 28 [[Saab 105]] trainers, which double as reconnaissance and [[close air support]] planes.

The helicopter fleet includes 23 [[Bell UH-1N Twin Huey|AB 212]] helicopters used as light transport. 24 French [[Aérospatiale Alouette III|Alouette III]] are in service as search-and-rescue helicopters. Furthermore, the air force fields 10 [[Bell OH-58 Kiowa|OH-58B Kiowa]] as light scout helicopters. After Austria had to request assistance from the [[United States Army]], [[Swiss Air Force]], [[French Air Force]], and German [[Bundeswehr]] to evacuate survivors after the 1999 [[Galtür Avalanche]] a decision was taken to equip the Austrian Air Force with medium-sized transport helicopters. Thus in 2002 Austria acquired 9 [[Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk|UH-60 Black Hawk]] helicopters. In 2003 the air force received 3 [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules|C-130K Hercules]] transport aircraft to support the armed forces in their UN peacekeeping and humanitarian activities.