Homeland Security Brigade

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Homeland Security Brigades (HSchBrig) were brigades of the army of the Bundeswehr .

history

Homeland Security Brigade 52 tactical sign

First wave of deployment

Twelve homeland security brigades were set up in the territorial army to take over Army Structure IV .

In order to set up the six partially active homeland security brigades of the "5 series" (for the designation system, see below), the homeland security commands that were simultaneously decommissioned were used. Each of the six partially active homeland security brigades comprised around 2500 active soldiers . In the event of tension or defense , the brigade was able to grow to its full target strength of around 4,500 soldiers through reservists . Around half of the subordinate battalions and companies were planned as inactive units , whose defense material was stored in depots in peacetime and would only have been mobilized in the event of a defense . The six inactive homeland security brigades of the "6er row" consisted of only a few active soldiers. They were designed almost entirely as units of equipment. After the mobilization , the nominal strength of the "6th Homeland Security Brigades" should be "only" around 2800 soldiers, which was well below the strength of the brigades of the field army.

Most of the homeland security brigades “only” had outdated M 48s in the two tank battalions and heavy companies of the hunter battalions . Only a few brigades later saw Leopard 1 battle tanks . Often only one of the two fighter battalions of the partially active brigades was made mobile with an MTW M113 . The other hunter battalions had frequently convened trucks resort. The field artillery battalion of a homeland security brigade received mostly drawn field howitzers FH 105mm (L) . Due to their size and equipment, the homeland security brigades of the territorial army resembled the field army 's hunter or "light" tank grenadier brigades.

The task of the homeland security brigade as part of the territorial army was the territorial defense in its defense area . The homeland security brigades of the territorial army were not assigned to NATO but were subordinate to the commanders of the military area commands . In the defense areas, they were the most powerful and agile units of the otherwise largely infantry -based homeland security force . They were therefore planned by the commanders as a reserve or for priority formation. In the rear of the army , the homeland security brigade was supposed to defend important infrastructure such as marching routes, traffic hubs, command posts or telecommunications equipment. Airborne troops , leaked or breached Warsaw Pact troops or covertly operating forces had to be reckoned with in the rear . If necessary, the homeland security brigades would have been able to reinforce the field army in a limited time and place.

Change from two brigades to the field army

Soon after taking the army structure IV became clear that the northern and southern flanks of NATO - defense line in West Germany were particularly threatened. Formations originally assigned to the territorial army were to permanently reinforce the divisions of the field army on these two flanks and assigned to NATO . In the north, the partially active Homeland Security Brigade 51 switched to the field army; In the south, the partially active Homeland Security Brigade 56 was selected for this task. The two homeland security brigades were subordinated to the 6th Panzer Grenadier Division ( 51) or the 1st Mountain Division (56).

The homeland security brigades received their designation and were partly active units even after switching to the field army . But their equipment has been improved. The tank battalions of the two brigades received Leopard 1 battle tanks . The heavy companies of the infantry battalions received anti-tank guided weapons.

The Territorial Brigade 56 possessed in addition to the Leopard 1 also has relatively modern Jagdpanzer Jaguar 2 , Marder and howitzers M109G , and led to 1989, two mechanized infantry battalions , two tank battalions and an armored artillery battalion , and was like a tank brigade of the Army divided.

Reclassification of Homeland Security Brigade 55

Homeland Security Brigade 55 was decommissioned on September 30, 1989, earlier than any other Homeland Security Brigade. Parts of the brigade were used to set up the Franco-German brigade .

Second wave of deployment

After reunification , the Bundeswehr Command East prepared the establishment of the military structures known from West Germany. Before the group of Soviet Armed Forces in Germany (GSSD) finally withdrew from the East German garrisons, it was not possible to begin integrating the East German units into the NATO command structure and the field army , according to the Two-Plus-Four Treaty . Therefore, after 1990, the six newly established brigades in the accession area to the Federal Republic of Germany were initially planned as homeland security brigades and formally subordinated to the territorial army. Essentially, the newly established homeland security brigades did not serve the territorial defense in their defense area, but were already designed as later tank brigades or tank grenadier brigades .

resolution

After the end of the Cold War , the eleven remaining homeland security brigades of the first wave of formation to take over the army structure V / N were decommissioned by 1993. Some of the homeland security brigades were used to set up fighter regiments .

After the arrival of new material, completed training and the withdrawal of the group of Soviet armed forces in Germany, the East German Homeland Security Brigades were assigned to NATO on January 1, 1995 and placed under the 13th or 14th Division of the Field Army. After the change, the homeland security brigades were given the designations used in the field army, Panzerbrigade or Panzergrenadierbrigade .

organization

The following partially active homeland security brigades were set up to take Army Structure IV:

The following inactive homeland security brigades were set up to take Army Structure IV:

The following homeland security brigades were set up to take over the army structure V / VN:

Designation system

The numbering of the homeland security brigades followed a stringent logic:

  • The "5 Brigades" 51-56 were (active) homeland security brigades present in peace. The brigades of the "6er row" with the numbers 61-66 were not active units. The ending numbers 1-6 indicated in which military area the brigade was stationed.
  • Brigades 37-42 continued the usual numbering of the brigades in the field army. The brigades that were planned for the later 13th Panzer Grenadier Division were given numbers 37, 38, 39. The homeland security brigades planned for the later 14th Panzer Grenadier Division were given numbers 40, 41 and 42.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b O.W. Dragoons: The Bundeswehr 1989 . Army Office. I. Corps. II Corps. III. Corps. 4th edition. 2.1 - Army, February 2012 ( religte.com [PDF; accessed July 3, 2018]).
  2. ↑ a b O.W. Dragoons: The Bundeswehr 1989 . Territorial Command SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN. Territorial Command NORTH. Territorial Command SOUTH. Appendix: Territorial structure. 4th edition. 2.2 - Army, February 2012 ( religte.com [PDF; accessed July 10, 2018]).

Web links

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