ECHO COBRA AUSTRIA

Austria’s Special Operations Tactical Unit – EKO Cobra – has been active since 1978.  The major role for EKO Cobra, which has become one of the top special unit, is with Domestic Law Enforcement and Counter-Terrorism.  This tactical unit operates at a national and an international level – where it is formally recognized as an antiterrorist unit.Initially, the unit was formed under the name GEK (Gendarmerieeinsatzkommando) but in 2002 was changed by the Federal Ministry of Interior to EKO Cobra.  A need for this type of tactical unit became apparent during the 1972 Munich Olympics when the Israeli athletes were attacked.  EKO cobra units are set up throughout Austria at strategic points so the entire country can be accessed by at least one of these troops within 70 minutes.Recruits for EKO Cobra are taken from applicants from the Austrian Federal Police.  Those who apply first receive a medical evaluation, followed by several psychological assessments followed by a series of intense physical challenges.  Once these are all successfully completed, the recruits will spend six months in a specialized training course mastering marksmanship, tactical training exercises, driving courses, hand-to-hand combat and a variety of other pertinent skills.  Depending on the field to which they are assigned, additional training may be required in areas such as sniping, blasting techniques (explosives), parachuting and/or diving. 

EKO Cobra Weapons

 Austria produces the majority of weapons used by EKO Cobra including assault rifles and pistols.   The units are also issued special equipment such as specifically designed gear, camouflage suits, bavaclavas (ski-type masks), tonfa batons and pepper (oc) sprays.Overall, EKO Cobra’s success lies not only in each member’s dedication for continual improvement in their skills and performance, but also in Cobra’s highly motivated officers.  It is a combination of this dedication and motivation that makes Austria’s Special Operations – EKO Cobra - a swift and effective task force.

                                                          Pistol 

                                                        assault rifles 

                                                                 tonfa batons
                                                          

Training

 Any member of the Austrian Federal Police may apply for the Einsatzkommando Cobra – EKO Cobra. The various tests consist of medical examinations, psychological tests and vigorous physical tests for candidates. Upon successful completion of the tests, now-recruits attend 6 months of specialized training which include marksmanship, tactical training, sports, driver courses, abseiling/rappelling, hand-to-hand combat, language classes, etc. After recruits finish 6-month training, they are able to take a further specialization in fields, such as parachuting, diving, explosives or sniping.The Einsatzkommando Cobra was involved in a now-famous hostage rescue in the Graz-Karlau Prison in 1996 and numerous other dangerous operations.Although it has never participated in the same type of hostage rescue operations that the FBI HRT, GIGN, GIS, NSG, GSG 9, SAS and other similarunits have had, the EKO Cobra is still the only Counter-Terrorism unit to end a hijacking while the plane was still in the air. That happened on 17 October 1996 when four EKO Cobra officers were on board an Aeroflot Tupolev Tu-154 escorting deported prisoners to Lagos when a Nigerian man threatened the cockpit crew with a small knife and demanded a diversion to Germany or South Africa. The team overpowered the man and handed him over to the authorities.after landing. The officers received a decoration by then-Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin. The most recent large operations when 135 EKO Cobra operatives were involved was on September 17, 2013. The mission target was Alois Huber, who killed three police officers and one Red Cross paramedic in Lower Austria. The operation was search based, and when EKO Cobra located the suspect in the forest, he committed suicide.

Operation 

The EKO Cobra was involved in a hostage rescue in the Graz-Karlau Prison in 1996 and numerous other operations.Although it has never participated in the same type of hostage rescue operations that the HRT, GIGN, GIS, NSG, ERU,GSG 9 and the SAS have had, the EKO Cobra is the only Counter-Terrorism unit to end a hijacking while the plane was still in the air.On 17 October 1996, four Cobra officers were on board an Aeroflot Tupolev Tu-154 escorting deported prisoners to Lagos when a Nigerian man threatened the cockpit crew with a knife and demanded a diversion to Germany or South Africa. The team
overpowered the man and handed him over to the authorities after landing. The officers received a decoration by Russian prime minister Putin.[citation needed]135 EKO Cobra operatives were involved in the search for Alois Huber, who killed three police officers and one Red Cross EMT on September 17, 2013,in Lower Austria.

Logo

                                          "Numquam retro ( "Never back down")"