The ‚extended‘ meaning of security policy furthermore involves international terrorism, government failure, organized crime, lack of resources, fragile infrastructures, cultural and economic disparities, environmental risks, epidemics/pandemics or illegal migration. The Austrian armed forces constantly observe and analyze the situation in terms of security policy in Austria and the area around Europe in order to be able to provide corresponding answers to possible risks.

For providing consultation for the Federal Minister of Defense, for the chief of the military staff and for other similar governmental departments, a department for security policy was being established in the Federal Ministry of Defense.  The head of the department for security policy, the director of defense, functions as a consulter for the Federal Ministry for immediate right of recitation and nomination in terms of questions of defense, is an advisory member in national Security Council and a member in the council for questions concerning the Austrian integration politics and foreign affairs.

In the context of the development of the Austrian security strategy, eleven different profile alternatives were evolved with the collaboration of the ScMI AG.  These strategic scenarios constitute possibilities on how the Armed Forces might be formed in the future.

The evaluation of the different alternatives is done by referring to internal evaluation criteria as well as by considering additionally created external scenarios, which are able to demonstrate development possibilities of the national, european and global security environment. On the basis of the results, the chief of the military staff and the minister of defense decided to opt for alternative F2 as a foundation for their strategic guideline.  

According to Mr.  Gustenau, the security policy received the possibility for having a serious dialogue on realistic, but thoroughly different directions for the Armed Forces.  At the same time the work succeeded to be created objectively and to provide a profound basis for decision making for the politics.

This new process in decision making will be presented in the latest book ‘strategy and security 2013’ published by Böhlau- as well as the current thoughts about implementing an continuous strategic management process in BMLVS based on the latest experiences.

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