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The reconnaissance and artillery battalion 7 (AAB7) is an association of the Austrian Federal Army, which is stationed in Styria in the Von der Groeben barracks in Feldbach. Commander of the association is Lieutenant Colonel Günter Rath.
According to the plans of the Federal Army Reform 2016, the reconnaissance and artillery battalion 7 will continue to be part of the 7th Fighter Brigade, which will have the task of working closely with the Rapid Operations Command formed from the current 3rd Panzergrenadier Brigade. The association is the eye and sword of the 7th Fighter Brigade and an essential carrier of military intelligence and reconnaissance. In addition, it provides extensive and precise fire support for all armed forces.
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History
The battalion was set up as a mixed combat unit in the course of the Federal Army reform 2010 at the beginning of 2009. For this purpose, two training companies of the military command Steiermark, which were stationed in the Hadik barracks in Fehring, were reorganized into two reconnaissance companies and transferred together with two Panzerhaubitz companies of the former artillery regiment 1 from the Von der Groeben barracks in Feldbach to the new federation.

After the closure of the Hadik barracks in Fehring, the two reconnaissance companies moved to Feldbach to the Von der Groeben barracks, which will subsequently undergo a general renovation.

From 2012, the reconnaissance and artillery battalion 7 developed into a competence center for the digital command and weapon deployment system “Combat New Generation”, which was successfully tested in April 2014 in conjunction with sister units of other units on the troop training area Allentsteig. In February 2016, it came, also on the troop training area Allentsteig, in the course of a two-week training and sharp shooting with the Panzerhaubitze M109 A5Ö to the acceptance of the system.

From 21 May to 7 June 2013, parts of the battalion participated in the exercise European Advance 2013 – EURAD13 and practiced there with 3000 soldiers of the Federal Army and 1000 other members of other European armies. The EURAD13 was also used for the certification of Federal Army units according to NATO standards, which are very important for EU and UN operations. The certified units of the reconnaissance and artillery battalion 7 received the status "excellent" after the NATO Evaluation Level 2 (NEL2).

Nature and effect

Battalion capabilities
The battalion can be used as a closed reconnaissance and artillery battalion as part of the 7th Fighter Brigade, but can also perform special missions as a pure reconnaissance or artillery battalion. Due to international deployment scenarios, it also has the ability to accommodate additional sensors or weapon systems from other nations and use them in conjunction with other units.

Due to its character as a mixed association, the reconnaissance and