Airmobile Operations Division (Germany)

Airmobile Operations Division
Division Luftbewegliche Operationen

Airmobile Operations Division Shoulder Insignia
Active In current form: July 2002 – June 2014
Country Germany
Branch Army
Type Division
Role Air assault, providing specialized forces
Size About 14,600 soldiers
Part of German Army
Garrison/HQ Veitshöchheim
Motto(s) Forwards!
Nach vorn!
Anniversaries July 1
Engagements

Kosovo war
War in Afghanistan

Commanders
Current
commander		 Major General Benedikt Zimmer
Notable
commanders		 Lieutenant General Hans-Otto Budde, former commander of the German Army

Airmobile Operations Division (Division Luftbewegliche Operationen) was a division of the German Army. The division was founded on 1 July 2002 and reported for duty 8 October 2002.[1] Airmobile Operations Division consisted of approximately 14,500 soldiers, 350 of which were stationed at divisionary headquarters in Veitshöchheim, Germany.[2]

In October 2011 the German Federal Ministry of Defence announced a reorganisation/reduction of the German Armed Forces. As a consequence, Airmobile Operations Division was dissolved and those units not being disbanded altogether were either transferred to other parts of the armed forces or incorporated into a different command structure.[3] The division itself was officially disbanded on 26 June 2014[4] and was integrated into the 10th Armoured Division which relocated from Sigmaringen to Veitshöchheim.[5]

Tasks

The tasks of the division were unique within the modern German military in that it was able to provide air mobility as well as ground based fire support, aerial defence and counter chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear assets to all parts of the German military. With an additional infantry component, it was also capable of limited air assault operations. The division's command was prepared to fulfil a role as Framework Headquarters for NATO and EU operations. Troops of Airmobile Operations Division also render assistance to civilian authorities during disaster relief operations.[6]

Coat of arms and motto

The coat of arms of Airmobile Operations Division depicts a flying black eagle, with its wings turned upright, holding a sword in its claws on a argent. Below the eagle a red arrow is shown. The argent symbolises dedication and the eagle strength, courage and bravery. The eagle's upturned wings, somewhat unusual in heraldry, represent the lunging out for new power. The sword stands for strike capability and penetration depth. The red arrow illustrates the third dimension, the depth of space and the dynamics of the division. The framing silver cord shows the status as a division. The maroon coloured seam corresponds with the traditional beret colour of the Army Aviation Corps and airborne forces.

The division's motto was the same as the German Army Aviation Corps': Nach vorn! which translates as either "Forward!" or "To the front!".

Deployment

Units of Airmobile Operations Division were deployed in a number of missions under the aegis of either the United Nations, the European Union or NATO.

Structure

Airmobile Operations Division's staff was based at Veitshöchheim. The division incorporated units from various branches of the German Army. These units were stationed all over Southern and Central parts of Germany.

The following units were directly subordinate to Airmobile Operations Division:

Name of unit Based at Insignia Note
Army Band 12 Veitshöchheim
Incorporated into the Military Music Center of the Bundeswehr in 2013
Signals Battalion Airmobile Operations Division Veitshöchheim
Disbanded in 2013
Light Transport Helicopter Regiment 30 Niederstetten
Incorporated into the Rapid Forces Division
Medium Transport Helicopter Regiment 15 "Münsterland" Rheine
Disbanded on 7 March 2013; helicopters transferred to the German Air Force's Helicopter Wing 64[7]
Medium Transport Helicopter Regiment 25 "Oberschwaben" Laupheim
Disbanded on 5 March 2013; re-established as the German Air Force's Helicopter Wing 64[8]
Artillery Demonstration Regiment 345 Kusel
Relocated to Idar-Oberstein and incorporated into 10th Armoured Division[9]
CBRN Defence Regiment 750 "Baden" Bruchsal
Restructured into CBRN Defence Battalion 750 "Baden" and now part of Joint Support Service
Light CBRN Defence Company 120 Sonthofen
Disbanded
Security Battalion 12 Hardheim
Assigned to 10th Panzer Division[10]
Army Combat Support Brigade Bruchsal
Disbanded on 31 December 2012
Airmobile Brigade 1 Fritzlar
Disbanded on 17 December 2013

The following units were subordinate to Airmobile Brigade 1:

Name of unit Based at Insignia Note
Staff Company Fritzlar
Disbanded on 17 December 2013
Air Assault Infantry Regiment 1 Schwarzenborn
Transferred to 21st Armoured Brigade;[11] to be disbanded and reformed as Light Infantry Battalion 1
Light Transport Helicopter Regiment 10 "Lüneburger Heide" Faßberg
Incorporated into the Rapid Forces Division
Attack Helicopter Regiment 26 "Franken" Roth
Disbanded on 30 June 2014
Attack Helicopter Regiment 36 "Kurhessen" Fritzlar
Incorporated into the Rapid Forces Division

Commanders

Nr Name Begin End
4 Brigadier General Benedikt Zimmer 20 December 2012 26 Juni 2014
3 Major General Erhard Drews 12 February 2009 20 December 2012
2 Major General Carl-Hubertus von Butler 25 August 2005 12 February 2009
1 Major General Dieter Budde 2002 25 August 2005

Equipment

Armoured Vehicles

Helicopters

References

  1. ↑ "Division Luftbewegliche Operationen - Geschichte". Federal Ministry of Defence. 7 August 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  2. ↑ "Division Luftbewegliche Operationen - Darstellung der eigenen Dienststelle". Federal Ministry of Defence. 7 August 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  3. ↑ Quoted from Bundesministerium der Verteidigung (26 October 2011), Neues Stationierungskonzept der Bundeswehr (in German), retrieved 5 November 2011, PDF-file "Die Stationierung der Bundeswehr in Deutschland", p. 62
  4. ↑ "Eine Erfolgsgeschichte endet – eine andere wird fortgesetzt". Federal Ministry of Defence. 20 December 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  5. ↑ "Division Luftbewegliche Operationen - Auftrag =". Federal Ministry of Defence. 7 August 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  6. ↑ "Division Luftbewegliche Operationen - Kommandoübergabe bei der Division Luftbewegliche Operationen". Federal Ministry of Defence. 10 January 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  7. ↑ Schnief, Matthias (6 March 2013), "Bundeswehr: Der letzte Akt für die "15er"", Münsterländische Zeitung (in German), retrieved 11 April 2013
  8. ↑ Ray, Roland (5 March 2013), "Der General rollt die Fahne ein", Schwäbische Zeitung (in German), retrieved 6 March 2013
  9. ↑ "Kusel - Vor dem 1. Juli passiert mal noch nichts", Die Rheinpfalz (in German), 27 February 2013, retrieved 23 April 2013
  10. ↑ http://www.deutschesheer.de/portal/a/heer/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP3I5EyrpHK9jNTUIr2UzNS84pLiEj1Dg4KqlMwyvfSclHT9gmxHRQA8dxqG/
  11. ↑ "Ein Schritt in Richtung Zielstruktur - 1.500 neue Soldatinnen und Soldaten für die Panzerbrigade 21 "Lipperland"" (in German). Federal Ministry of Defence. 19 December 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2013.

Further reading

See also

Coordinates: 49°49′38.92″N 9°54′06.15″E / 49.8274778°N 9.9017083°E / 49.8274778; 9.9017083

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