In 1938, Bundesheer officers led by Alfred Jansa developed a military operation plan to defend against a potential invasion by Nazi Germany, which ultimately went unused due to a lack of political willpower when Austria was annexed by the Germans in the same year during the Anschluss.

[4] World War II role of the "Bundesheer": In 1955, Austria issued its Declaration of Neutrality, meaning that it would never join a military alliance.

To strengthen the flank NATO would have deployed the French Army's II Corps, which would have required seven days for mobilization and approach.

The arrival of Warsaw Pact forces in southern Bavaria within the first six days after the start of hostilities would have prompted NATO to use tactical nuclear weapons to block the enemy approach routes through Upper Austria.

A mixed Czechoslovak-Soviet corps of three divisions was expected to mass in the Břeclav-Brno-Znojmo region and attack through the Weinviertel north of Vienna.

[11] While it was imagined that NATO troops could likewise use Austria as a stepping stone for invasions of the Warsaw Pact countries, such a scenario was considered highly unlikely, unrealistic and eventually remained theoretical in strategic realization.

Key zones were set up in those areas of the national territory, which an aggressor had to take possession of in order to achieve his military goals.

[10][11][13][12] The four subzones formed the Central Area in Austria's mountainous interior, which was outside of the anticipated main axis of a Warsaw Pact advance.

The Army Command and Austrian government would have retreat to a bunker complex in St Johann im Pongau in the central area.

The mobile Landwehr was the Austrian armed forces reserve, which once the intentions of the opponent were determined, could be used to counterattack enemy formations.

The staffs of the six Jäger brigades would have been formed upon war by the armed forces military commands, which in peacetime had territorial functions in the states.

The Austrian military commands of the Raumverteidigung concept, their assigned number, zones and main units during peacetime were:[10] Under the area defence strategy, which determined the army's structure until 1993, the army was divided into three principal elements: the standing alert force (Bereitschaftstruppe) of active units, including the 1st Panzergrenadier Division and the air division; the mobile militia (Mobile Landwehr), organized as eight mechanized reserve brigades to be deployed to key danger spots in the event of mobilization; and the stationary militia (Raumgebundene Landwehr) of twenty-six reserve infantry regiments organized for territorial defence.

[17] Two corps headquarters, one in the east at Graz and one in the west at Salzburg, would, on mobilization, command the provincially organized units in their respective zones.

[17] The only active units immediately available in an emergency were those of the standing alert force of some 15,000 career soldiers supplemented by eight-month conscripts.

[17] The divisional headquarters was at Baden bei Wien near Vienna;[17] the 3rd, 4th, and 9th Brigades were based in separate locations, also in the northeast of the country.

[citation needed] The New Army Structure—the reorganization plan announced in late 1991 and scheduled to be in place sometime in 1995—replaces the previous two-corps structure with one of three corps.

[17] Reaction time is to be radically shortened so that part of the standing alert force can be deployed within hours to a crisis zone (for example, one adjacent to the border with Slovenia).

[17] Conscripts in the final stages of their training could supplement the standing forces by being poised for operational deployment at short notice.

[17] Officers with advanced degrees (for which study at the National Defence Academy qualifies) can expect to attain grade VIII before reaching the retirement age of sixty to sixty-five.

[17] It is common for NCOs to transfer at some stage in their careers to civilian status at the equivalent grade, either in the Ministry for National Defence or in the police or prison services after further training.

[17] The air force uniform is identical, with the addition of wings worn on the right jacket breast—gold for officers and silver for enlisted personnel.

[17] Branches of service are identified by beret colours: scarlet for the honour Guard; green for infantry; black for armour; cherry for airborne; and dark blue for quartermaster.

[17] The general troop inspectorate is a separate section of the ministry with responsibility for co-ordination and fulfilment of the missions of the armed forces.

[17] The main constitutional tasks of today's Austrian military are: Of the eight enlisted ranks, only a sergeant (Wachtmeister) or above is considered an NCO.

[17] 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.

[17] 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.

Until 1971, Austrian males were obligated to serve nine months in the armed forces, followed by four days of active service every two years for training and inspection.

[citation needed] Under a 1974 law, conscientious objectors can be assigned work as medical orderlies, or other occupations in lieu of military service.

[17] The education of career officers is conducted at the Maria Theresia Military Academy at Wiener Neustadt, forty-five kilometres south of Vienna, which was founded in 1752.

[17] Troop schools provide continuous specialized courses for officers and NCOs in artillery, air defence, armour, combat engineering, communications, and the like.