Intervention forces
Encyclopedia
The intervention forces are one of the three categories of force within the German Armed Forces or Bundeswehr
, the others being stabilisation forces
and support forces. The formations within the intervention forces which have a total of 35,000 soldiers are primarily intended for crisis intervention and provide the German contributions to the intervention forces such as the NATO Response Force
and the forces for rescue and evacuation operations that are fundamentally a national responsibility.
operations at the divisional level. Also in the intervention forces are parts of the Special Operations Division and Airmobile Operations Division, which enhance the flexibility of the intervention forces as a result of their ability to execute airmobile operations. The following formations are grouped under the intervention forces along with almost all their subordinate units:
The following formations are mixed intervention/stabilisation forces, that are partly classified as stabilisation forces. These are thus intended both for intervention as well as peacekeeping missions and only specified company detachments are available for intervention missions:
Remark: The list does not reflect the regular ORBAT of the Army, but only a list of the intervention forces of the Army. For the exact formation organisations and structures please following the links.
For intervention operations the 1st Logistic Brigade commands the 161st Logistic Battalion which supports the combat logistics, e.g. the logistic battalions of the Army's brigades. The battalion thus plugs the gap between the static logistic bases in Germany and the combat logistic units. In Swiss military parlance this part of the logistic chain is described as "mobile Logistik" or mobile logistics, which is a very apt description.
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
, the others being stabilisation forces
Stabilisation forces
Stabilisation forces are one of the three categories of forces in the German Armed Forces or Bundeswehr, that classify formations according to their levels of equipment, readiness, training and capability. The other categories are intervention forces and support forces Unterstützungskräften)...
and support forces. The formations within the intervention forces which have a total of 35,000 soldiers are primarily intended for crisis intervention and provide the German contributions to the intervention forces such as the NATO Response Force
NATO Response Force
The NATO Response Force is a "coherent, high-readiness, joint, multinational force package" of up to 25,000 troops that is "technologically advanced, flexible, deployable, interoperable and sustainable"...
and the forces for rescue and evacuation operations that are fundamentally a national responsibility.
Army
The Army provides the largest contingent of intervention forces with 20,700 soldiers. The main component of these forces is the 1st Armoured Division, which is distinguished from other "normal" Army divisions by a multitude of permanently assigned divisiona combat support troops. The forces that are placed on readiness by the Army are capable of executing combined armsCombined arms
Combined arms is an approach to warfare which seeks to integrate different branches of a military to achieve mutually complementary effects...
operations at the divisional level. Also in the intervention forces are parts of the Special Operations Division and Airmobile Operations Division, which enhance the flexibility of the intervention forces as a result of their ability to execute airmobile operations. The following formations are grouped under the intervention forces along with almost all their subordinate units:
- 1st Armoured Division (also: "Intervention Force Division")
- Remark: All intervention forces except 3rd Logistic Battalion (stabilisation forces)
- Remark: All intervention forces except 1st Engineer Battalion (both stabilisation and intervention) and the 130th Heavy Engineer Battalion 130 (both) of 100 Engineer Regiment (the regiment deployed on operations leads the intervention/stabilisation divisional engineers on intervention missions.)
- Franco-German BrigadeFranco-German BrigadeThe Franco-German Brigade is a joint formation consisting of units from both the French Armée de Terre and German Heer armies and is integrated in Eurocorps.-History:...
(German element)- Remark: all German elements are intervention
- 100th Airborne Air Defence Battery (Seedorf)
- 26th Airmobile Brigade of the Special Operations Division
- Remark: All intervention forces except 262 Airborne Support Battalion (stabilisation forces)
The following formations are mixed intervention/stabilisation forces, that are partly classified as stabilisation forces. These are thus intended both for intervention as well as peacekeeping missions and only specified company detachments are available for intervention missions:
- 1st Engineer Battailion and 130th Heavy Engineer Battalion of 100 Engineer Regiment in 1st Armoured Division
- Special Forces CommandKommando SpezialkräfteThe KSK Kommando Spezialkräfte is an elite military unit composed of Special Operations soldiers from the ranks of Germany’s Bundeswehr and organized as such under the Division Spezielle Operationen . The unit has received many decorations and awards from both NATO and its affiliates...
of the Special Operations Division - 15 Medium Transport Helicopter Regiment of the Airmobile Operations DivisionAirmobile Operations DivisionAirmobile Operations Division is a division of the German Army. Its staff is based at Veitshöchheim near Würzburg. The division was founded on July 1, 2002 and reported for duty October 8, 2002 . It incorporates units from various branches of the German Army. These units are stationed all over...
- 25 Medium Transport Helicopter Regiment of the Airmobile Operations DivisionAirmobile Operations DivisionAirmobile Operations Division is a division of the German Army. Its staff is based at Veitshöchheim near Würzburg. The division was founded on July 1, 2002 and reported for duty October 8, 2002 . It incorporates units from various branches of the German Army. These units are stationed all over...
- 1st Airmobile Brigade der Airmobile Operations DivisionAirmobile Operations DivisionAirmobile Operations Division is a division of the German Army. Its staff is based at Veitshöchheim near Würzburg. The division was founded on July 1, 2002 and reported for duty October 8, 2002 . It incorporates units from various branches of the German Army. These units are stationed all over...
- Remark: all intervention/stabilisation forces apart from 1st Army Aviation Support Squadron and 1st Army Aviation Maintenance Squadron (both stabilisation)
Remark: The list does not reflect the regular ORBAT of the Army, but only a list of the intervention forces of the Army. For the exact formation organisations and structures please following the links.
Air Force
The Luftwaffe has - following a modular approach - laid down the percentage of all formations that are assigned to the three categories of force. All combat and air transport formations make a contribution to both intervention and stabilisation forces.Navy
In the German Navy (Marine) it is intended to have two crews for the new frigates of class F125 that will replace the old guided missile frigates of class F122. In this way the ships will be able to spend longer on station in foreign waters. Based on the American prototype the crews will rotate on a specified cycle. In addition, unlike the Army, little is known about the composition of intervention forces in the Navy.Streitkräftebasis
- 1st Logistic Brigade, DelmenhorstDelmenhorstDelmenhorst is an urban district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It has a population of 74,500 and is located 10 km/6 miles west of downtown Bremen with which it forms a contiguous urban area, whereas the city of Oldenburg is 25 km/15 miles to the northwest. The city has a total area of 62.36 km²...
- Staff and HQ Company, DelmenhorstDelmenhorstDelmenhorst is an urban district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It has a population of 74,500 and is located 10 km/6 miles west of downtown Bremen with which it forms a contiguous urban area, whereas the city of Oldenburg is 25 km/15 miles to the northwest. The city has a total area of 62.36 km²...
- 161st Logistic Battalion, DelmenhorstDelmenhorstDelmenhorst is an urban district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It has a population of 74,500 and is located 10 km/6 miles west of downtown Bremen with which it forms a contiguous urban area, whereas the city of Oldenburg is 25 km/15 miles to the northwest. The city has a total area of 62.36 km²...
- Staff and HQ Company, Delmenhorst
For intervention operations the 1st Logistic Brigade commands the 161st Logistic Battalion which supports the combat logistics, e.g. the logistic battalions of the Army's brigades. The battalion thus plugs the gap between the static logistic bases in Germany and the combat logistic units. In Swiss military parlance this part of the logistic chain is described as "mobile Logistik" or mobile logistics, which is a very apt description.