Air Assault Infantry Regiment 1 (Bundeswehr)

The German Army's Air Assault Infantry Regiment 1, in German Jägerregiment 1 (luftbeweglich), is a relatively recently formed Air Assault Regiment and the only formation of this kind within the Bundeswehr. The regiment was part of Airmobile Operations Division and became subordinate to 21st Armoured Brigade on 19 December 2012. Soldiers of this unit are deployed to the combat zone by helicopters which are supposed to provide fire support as well. Until creation of the 1st LIRgt (A), the German Armed Forces had no capability of that sort.

History
The regiment was activated in late 2006 and grew to its planned strength until 2008. In March 2008, 1st LIRgt (A) assumed its first operational role and deployed 600 soldiers to Kosovo as part of an operational reserve for ongoing operations of KFOR-troops in the region. In 2009, the entire regiment was deployed to Afghanistan for twelve months. During that time, Air Assault Infantry Regiment 1 formed the quick reaction force for ISAF's Regional Command North and saw intense action against insurgents in the northern Kunduz Province.

A member of Air Assault Infantry Regiment 1 was awarded Germany's highest military decoration for gallantry, the Honour Cross for Bravery on January 22, 2010. Sergeant First Class Steffen Knoska rescued a seriously wounded comrade from incoming fire during an ambush in Afghanistan's Kunduz Province on June 7, 2009. The casualty had been struck by a bullet and was lying defenceless on the ground when Knoska charged into hostile fire. Although having been hit by incoming bullets, Knoska refused to give in and eventually was able to drag the man into safety.

In October 2011 the German Federal Ministry of Defence announced a reorganisation/reduction of the German Armed Forces. As a consequence, Air Assault Infantry Regiment 1 will be disbanded. The units based in Hammelburg will be completely disbanded whereas at Schwarzenborn two companies will be disbanded. On 1 July 2015, the remainder will form the newly created Light Infantry Battalion 1.

Structure
Unlike other regiments within the German Army, Air Assault Infantry Regiment 1 is not superordinate to individual battalions but directly to companies. The regiment consists of 10 companies:


 * 1. / HQ company
 * 2. / light infantry company
 * 3. / light infantry company
 * 4. / light infantry company (equipped with APCs)
 * 5. / heavy infantry company
 * 6. / heavy infantry company
 * 7. / engineer company
 * combat engineer platoon
 * combat engineer platoon
 * field engineer platoon
 * 8. / light air defence battery
 * air defense platoon
 * air defense platoon
 * NBC-Defence platoon
 * 9. / logistic company
 * 10. / support company

Equipment
Despite its light infantry role, the regiment is also mechanized. For ground mobility, the regiment uses the Wolf Light Vehicle which is the standard transport utility vehicle of the German Army. Two mechanized light infantry companies will use the Armoured Weapons Carrier Wiesel in variants 1 and 2 equipped with a wide range of weapons such as a mounted BGM-71 TOW guided anti-tank missile, a 20 mm autocannon, a FIM-92 Stinger system (called LeFlaSys) or a mounted 120 mm mortar. Furthermore, it is planned that the regiment will receive a certain number of GTK Boxer Armoured Fighting Vehicles and Mungo ESK Armoured Multirole Transport Vehicles.

For its air assault role, the regiment could dispose of air lift capabilities in form of one light transport helicopter regiment ((Light Transport Helicopter Regiment 10 based at Fassberg) within 1st Airmobile Brigade and three medium transport helicopter regiments (Medium Transport Helicopter Regiment 15 based at Rheine, Medium Transport Helicopter Regiment 25 based at Laupheim and Transport Helicopter Regiment 30 based at Niederstetten) of its superordinate division. These regiments are currently equipped with the UH-1D utility helicopter and the CH-53G(A)(S) medium transport helicopter, a part of which are about to be replaced by the new NH90 helicopter.