The Niederösterreich was commissioned in 1970 as the second vessel in a planned flotilla of the Austrian Armed Forces on the Danube . However, due to budgetary constraints, this flotilla, originally intended to consist of nine ships, was never realized. The Niederösterreich thus remained the last vessel to be procured. The design was carried out by the Geneva-based company MAIERFORM SA , Switzerland . The vessel was ultimately built at the Korneuburg shipyard .
Alongside the Oberst Brecht, the Niederösterreich belonged to the Army's patrol boat squadron until 2006. This squadron was stationed at the Magdeburg Barracks in Klosterneuburg and was under the command of the engineers . As part of the 2010 Army reform, this squadron was disbanded and the Niederösterreich decommissioned. Subsequently, the machine gun was removed and the boat was transferred to the Museum of Military History . Its maintenance is now the responsibility of the Austrian Naval Association through the Naval Association Admiral Archduke Franz Ferdinand .
Tasks
During the Cold War, the patrol boat squadron's tasks mainly consisted of supporting the maritime and river police in inspecting ships coming from the Eastern Bloc. These inspections were primarily carried out during army maneuvers to prevent eavesdropping.
Current status
Since the Museum of Military History is under the jurisdiction of the Federal Ministry of Defence (BMLV) and the ship Niederösterreich was formally transferred to the Austrian Naval Association in 2006, and is therefore only considered decommissioned within the Austrian Armed Forces, it remains part of the Austrian Armed Forces' inventory. Recommissioning is theoretically possible, but unlikely for military and budgetary reasons. The Niederösterreich is currently moored at the Korneuburg shipyard together with the Oberst Brecht and can be visited there.
