Intensive military exercises: Villach and Klagenfurt in air combat!

Intensive military exercises: Villach and Klagenfurt in air combat!

In the coming days, the sky over Carinthia will be dominated by helicopters and airplanes, while the Villach pioneers and Klagenfurt elite soldiers prepare intensively for future missions. From June 24th to 26th and from June 30th to July 3rd, 2025, training flights will take place daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the districts of Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt-Land, St. Veit/Glan, Villach, Villach-Land and Hermagor. The soldiers not only practice transporting soldiers, weapons and equipment, but also parachute jumps from helicopters and a PC6 fixed-wing aircraft, as the Gailtal Journal reports.

The training aims to optimize the interaction between land and air forces, which is particularly important for operations in urban areas. This type of warfare, as discussed in Troppendienst, requires extensive preparation to develop tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP) in the urban environment.

Focus on urban warfare

Soldiers must prepare for the unique challenges of urban combat, which requires rapid response, precise planning and specialized equipment. In particular, Close-Quarter Battle (CQB) – fighting in confined spaces such as buildings – places the highest demands on the troops' abilities. In such scenarios, acting quickly and avoiding collateral damage are crucial. Therefore, comprehensive, realistic training is essential to acquire the necessary tactical skills, as the MSS Defense emphasizes.

As part of their training, soldiers are also equipped with modern personal protective equipment, including ballistic helmets, body armor and tactical vests. These pieces of equipment are essential for surviving in close combat. Tactical communication solutions are also crucial for effective command and control in combat.

Realistic training scenarios

Another important aspect of training in an urban environment is the development of “processing aids” for planning procedures as well as the analysis of past battle examples in order to gain valuable insights for future operations. The combination of theory and practice in realistic scenarios has already significantly increased soldiers' skills in the past.

This intensive training not only strengthens the soldiers' individual skills, but also strengthens cooperation within the team. The planned night flights also underline the importance of flexibility and adaptability in modern operations. Those responsible ask for your understanding for the aforementioned helicopter noise, which could temporarily inconvenience residents in the affected regions. Changes to the exercise due to weather conditions are possible at any time.