Intervention forces

The response forces (EK; English intervention forces ) were in addition to the stabilization forces and support forces one of the three categories of forces Bundeswehr . The force categories were introduced in the course of the transformation of the Bundeswehr in 2002–2009. With the realignment of the Bundeswehr from 2010, the categorization no longer applies.

Background and tasks

The intervention forces, with a total of 35,000 soldiers, were primarily intended for crisis intervention and provide the German contributions to reaction forces such as the NATO Response Force and the forces for rescue and evacuation operations that are fundamentally nationally responsible.

The intervention forces of the Bundeswehr emerged from the Crisis Reaction Forces (KRK) , which were first put together in the 1990s, a time of upheaval in the Bundeswehr. However, no clear scheme could be drawn up as to which association belonged to the CRC or not. The concept of intervention forces, on the other hand, relied on concentrating these particularly skilled forces in a few associations.

The intervention forces primarily had the ability to implement peace enforcement measures against a predominantly military enemy with the lowest possible losses of their own. This requires the use of armed force in networked and multinational high-intensity operations. In doing so, they created the conditions for peace- stabilizing operations, the implementation of which was then the main task of the stabilization forces . In the case of operations for conflict prevention and crisis management, however, these two categories of forces could also be used simultaneously or in close chronological order and were therefore able to work together. The intervention forces should be available quickly and deployable anywhere.

structure

army

With 20,700 soldiers, the army provided the largest share of the intervention forces. The main part of the intervention forces was provided by the 1st Panzer Division , which distinguishes itself from other "normal" army divisions by a large number of constantly subordinate division troops for combat support . The forces that provided the army, dominated the combined arms combat at the level of division . The intervention forces also included units of the Rapid Forces Division , which increase the flexibility of the intervention forces due to their ability to carry out airmobile operations. Basic military service members were deployed in groups of the intervention forces mainly on functional posts in staffs and in support areas, so that the intervention forces consisted largely of voluntary long-term service as well as professional and temporary soldiers .

The following units were almost completely assigned to the intervention forces with all their units:

• 1st Panzer Division ( also: "Reaction forces division" )
  • Note: All EC except Logistics Battalion 3 (SK)
  • Note: All EK except for the Pioneer Battalion 1 (EK / SK) and the heavy Pioneer Battalion 130 (EK / SK) of the Engineer Regiment 100 (the regiment belonging to the emergency services leads the division pioneers identified as EK / SK in EK missions.)
• Franco-German Brigade (German part)
  • Note: all German shares are EK
• Airborne Brigade 26 of the Rapid Forces Division
  • Note: All EK except Airborne Support Battalion 262 (SK)

The following associations were mixed associations, some of which were classified as stabilizing forces. These were therefore intended for both intervention and peacekeeping missions and were in some cases only available for intervention missions in certain company shares:

• Engineer Battalion 1 and Heavy Engineer Battalion 130 of Engineer Regiment 100 of the 1st Armored Division
• Special forces command of the Rapid Forces division
• Medium Transport Helicopter Regiment 15 of the Rapid Forces Division
• 25th Medium Transport Helicopter Regiment of the Rapid Forces Division

Note: The list does not reflect the regular divisions of the Army, but only a listing of the Army EK troops. For the exact association organizations and structures, please note the links available.

air force

The Air Force had - Following a modular approach - set for all organizations as a percentage, which portions were respectively assigned to the three forces categories. All combat and air transport units contributed to both intervention and stabilization forces.

marine

With the construction of the new frigates of the class F125 , which are to replace the old guided missile frigates of the class F122 , the navy planned for the first time to design a ship for two crews. Thus, the ship has a longer standing time in non-native waters. According to the American model, the crews should rotate in a certain cycle. Furthermore, in contrast to the army, little was known about the composition of the naval intervention forces.

Force Base

• Logistics Brigade 1 , Delmenhorst
  • Headquarters and headquarters company, Delmenhorst
  • Logistics Battalion 161, Delmenhorst

Logistics brigade 1 led logistics battalion 161 during intervention missions, which was responsible for combat logistics, i.e. For example, he supported the logistics battalions of the Army Brigades. The battalion was supposed to close the gap between stationary basic logistics (in the home country) and combat logistics.

Web links

• Description of the Bundeswehr (offline)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ PDF at teao.saic.com  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.