Airmobile Operations Division (Germany)

Airmobile Operations Division Division Luftbewegliche Operationen
Airmobile Operations Division Shoulder Insignia
Active	In current form: July 2002 - present
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	Forwards! Nach vorn!
Anniversaries	July 1
Engagements	United Nations Operations in Somalia United Nations Operations in Iraq War in Bosnia Civil war in Albania Kosovo war War in Afghanistan Operation Harekate Yolo II Kunduz Province Campaign
Commanders
Current commander	Major General Eberhard Drews
Notable commanders	Lieutenant General Hans-Otto Budde, currently commander of the German Army

Airmobile Operations Division (Division Luftbewegliche Operationen) 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 Germany. Airmobile Operations Division consists of approximately 14,500 soldiers, 350 of which are stationed at the divisionary headquarters in Veitshöchheim. The tasks of this division are unique within the modern German military. It is 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 is also capable of limited air assault operations. Troops of Airmobile Operations Division also rendered assistance to civilian authorities during in disaster relief operations.

In October 2011 the German Federal Ministry of Defence announced a reorganisation/reduction of the German Armed Forces. As a consequence, Airmobile Operations Division will be dissolved and those units not being disbanded will be either transferred to other parts of the armed forces or incoprorated into a different command structure.

Structure

• Airmobile Operations Division
  • Staff Company
  • Army Band 12
  • Signals Battalion DLO
  • Medium Transport Helicopter Regiment 15 "Münsterland"
  • Medium Transport Helicopter Regiment 25 "Oberschwaben"
  • Light Transport Helicopter Regiment 30
  • Airmobile Brigade 1
    • Staff Company
    • Air Assault Infantry Regiment 1
    • Light Transport Helicopter Regiment 10 "Lüneburger Heide"
    • Attack Helicopter Regiment 26 "Franken"
    • Attack Helicopter Regiment 36 "Kurhessen"
  • Army Forces Brigade
    • Staff Company
    • NBC Defense Regiment 750 "Baden"
    • Artillery Regiment 345
    • Light Anti-Aircraft Missile Battery 300
    • Air Defense Battalion 12 based at Hardheim
    • Light NBC Defense Company 120

Further reading

• Garben, Fritz (2005), Deutsche Heeresflieger: nationale und internationale Rettungs-, Hilfs- und UN-Einsätze, Lemwerder: Stedinger-Verlag, ISBN 3-9276-9741-9 
• Garben, Fritz (2006), Fünf Jahrzehnte Heeresflieger: Typen, Taktik und Geschichte, Lemwerder: Stedinger-Verlag, ISBN 3-9276-9745-1 
• Hubatschek, Gerhard (2003), Das Heer im Einsatz, Frankfurt am Main: Report-Verlag, ISBN 3-9323-8512-8 
• Hubatschek, Gerhard (2006), 50 Jahre Heer. Der Soldat und seine Ausrüstung, Sulbach: Report-Verlag, ISBN 3-9323-8521-7 
• Schulz, Lothar (2003), Die Zukunft hat begonnen. Neues Heeresamt und Logistikzentrum Heer, Bonn: Report-Verlag 

See also

• Bundeswehr
• German Army