Cobra shows spectacular hostage-taking scenario in Feldkirch!

Cobra shows spectacular hostage-taking scenario in Feldkirch!

On April 9, 2025, a remarkable event took place in the police center and in the operational branch of the Cobra operations command in Feldkirch. The State Security Council Daniel Allgäuer and security spokesman for all state parties were present to get an overview of the training and possible uses of the elite command. The guests were received by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Hopfner, the commander of the Education Center, and Major General Rainer Wintersteiger, department head 3 of the EKO Cobra.

As part of the event, the basic training at the Feldkirch location was presented. The participants received insights into the structure and special features of the training center. The core tasks as well as operational figures and selected operations of the Cobra operating command were also presented. The special focus was on the demonstration of a staged hostage-taking scenario, in which the fictional kidnapping of the head of the internal and security department of the State of Vorarlberg was simulated. Among other things, a drone was used here to persecute the perpetrators and their pictures were transferred live on canvas.

practical demonstration and discussion round

The emergency services showed the AST Vorarlberg vehicle intervention unit in the practical part of the exercise, which was responsible for the persecution and arrest of the fictional perpetrators. The hostage was successfully freed during the exercise. Following the demonstration, the political representatives discussed the training of young police officers. Topics such as tactics in delicate missions and the challenges in internal security were the focus of the discussions. The spectators who pursued the exercise on screens were impressed and applauded at the end of the demonstration.

The Cobra operating command, as the elite unit of the Austrian police, specializes in particularly dangerous and complex operations. These include fighting terrorism in cooperation with the police state security, operational operations such as Geisellagen and Amo complaints as well as personal protection. Cobra is also active on board Austrian aircraft, where so-called Air Marsele ensure the safety of passengers and the crew. The unit also fulfills tasks in the security service for Austrian missions abroad.

training and selection process

interested parties who want to work at the EKO Cobra must prove at least two years of professional experience as a police officer and be in physical and mentally optimal condition. The selection process takes place in the Cobra base in Wiener Neustadt and includes sporting tests, obstacle and shooting course. The deployment of the deployment sites takes place according to performance, whereby 20 to 30 contenders are usually included in the next training unit.

The basic training of the EKO Cobra lasts six months and includes learning shooting, tactics, rope technology and close combat. A wide range of specializations is open to the operations, according to their strengths and suitability. These include divers, parachutists, precision shooters and dog handlers. The training takes place continuously in order to keep the skills of the emergency services up to date, which is of the utmost importance, especially for security -relevant missions.

The successful exercise in Feldkirch not only illustrates professionalism and comprehensive training opportunities for the Cobra, but also the importance of cooperation between police and politics to ensure internal security in Austria. It remains to be seen how the knowledge and impressions gained will flow into future political decisions.

For more information about the EKO Cobra and its tasks, please click on the following links: Vol.at , admission police , bmi.gv.at .