3rd Reconnaissance Battalion (Germany)

The 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion (3. Aufklärungslehrbataillon) is a German Army battalion attached to the 1st Panzer Division. The battalion's commander is Oberstleutnant Hendrik Staigis.

History
The 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion was originally formed in 1956 in Lingen attached to the 3rd Panzer Division as an armoured reconnaissance unit. In 1966 the battalion gained a unit ally, the 103rd (Huzaren van Boreel) Armoured Reconanissance Regiment. In 1992 the battalion sent a small contingent as part of the 5th Training Unit to Somalia as part of the Unified Task Force.

In 1996 the battalion moved from divisional reconnaissance to the Panzerlehrbrigade 9 as a heavy armoured reconnaissance battalion. In 1997 the battalion expanded forming a reserve company and also a new airborne reconnaissance company. In 2004 the 9th company deployed as part of KFOR, the 1st Company part of EUFOR, and the 6th Company as ISAF. In 2005 the 310th Airborne Reconnaissance Company detached to the 31st Airborne Brigade. In 2006 the 15th Company deployed as part of KFOR.

In 2007 the battalion was renamed as the 3rd Reconnaissance Training Battalion. The next year the 17th Company deployed as part of

Organisation
The battalion's structure today is as follows:
 * 1st Company - Supply and Support Company
 * 2nd Company - Patrol Company
 * 3rd Company - Light Reconnaissance Company
 * 4th Company - Technical Information Company
 * 5th Company - Reconnaissance and Reserve Company