Mechanized Division 11
The Mechanized Division 11 (army designation Mech Div 11 ) was an army unit of the Swiss Army . It was formed in 1962 as part of the restructured Field Army Corps 4 , disbanded in 1994 and replaced by Panzer Brigades 3 and 11.
history
On the basis of the 1961 troop order (TO 61), the Army 61 reform was initiated. The goal was to take into account the threat of the Cold War by increasing the firepower and the mobility of the earth troops as well as modern air defense. The terrain reinforcement in the border area (neutrality protection) was expanded and a new supply organization was supposed to increase sustainability.
The three corps of the field army were renamed field army corps (FAK 1, 2, 4) in 1961 and structured uniformly. Fixed areas of responsibility (basic disposition ZEUS 1992) were assigned to the field army corps and the mountain army corps (Geb. AK 3).
The Mech Div 11 with the Motorized Infantry Regiment 25, the Panzer Regiments 3 and 9 and the Artillery Regiment 11 was “the moving element” in the FAK 4's dispositif. In the exposed area against the eastern border, as the operational reserve of FAK 4, with its mobility and firepower, it had to ensure coherent warfare in the entire defense area. For the form of defense, the armored formations had to conduct counter attacks against enemy forces. The tank regiments of the Mechanized Divisions were equipped with the Swiss Panzer 61 and, from 1987, retrained to the battle tank 87 "Leopard" .
The reinforced Mech Div 11 had 14,000 soldiers in 1986 and had 120 battle tanks, 70 self-propelled howitzers, 10 armored personnel carriers and 2,000 pneumatic vehicles. In its area of operations, the blocking positions were in Bichelsee , Guntershausen , Mill Creek / Fischenthal , Sennhof and Winterthur .
With Army 95 , the mechanized divisions were abolished and the armored forces were combined in the armored brigades. From the armored forces of Mech Div 11, Panzer Brigades 3 and 11 were newly formed in 1995:
With Army XXI , the tank brigades were reduced from five to two, and tank brigades 2, 3 and 4 were disbanded. Panzerbrigade 11 was transferred to Army XXI in December 2003 as the last of all units. In contrast to other associations, it was not dissolved, but strengthened by 5300 soldiers to double the number.
literature
- Anniversary publication 25 years of Mech Div 11. Verlag Kommando Mech Division 11, 1986
- Oskar Fritschi, Andreas Gadient: Mechanized Division 11. Attacking spirit makes the defense possible. General Swiss Military Journal (ASMZ), Issue 11, Volume 152 1986
- Gerhard Wyss: Evolution instead of revolution. The revisions of TO 61 from 1962–1991. ASMZ Issue 7/8 Well-Defended Switzerland, Volume 157 1991
Web links
- Zürcher Oberland from November 19, 2011: Big parade: 25 years ago the Mech Div 11 parade
- Swiss Society for Military History Study Trips (GMS): Swiss Mech Div in the Cold War, August 21-22, 2013
- Peter Forster: Bulletin No. 1 of October 27, 2015: on the death of division general Andreas Gadient, former commander Mech Div 11
Individual evidence
- ↑ Fortress Oberland: Mech Div 11
- ↑ Admin.ch: Birth of the new Panzer Brigade 11 ( Memento from January 24, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ Oskar Fritschi, Andreas Gadient: Mechanized Division 11. Attacking spirit makes defense possible. ASMZ issue 11, volume 152 1986
- ↑ Gerhard Wyss: Evolution instead of revolution. The revisions of TO 61 from 1962–1991. ASMZ Issue 7/8 Well-Defended Switzerland, Volume 157 1991