The floods in Lower Austria have hit the region hard in recent days and presented the emergency services with immense challenges. Around 600 soldiers from the Austrian Armed Forces are currently working tirelessly to support the civilian rescue services, bring people to safety and carry out clean-up operations. A further 330 soldiers are on standby for any emergencies, and a total of up to 1.200 soldiers could be mobilized across Austria if the situation worsens. The flood disaster in Lower Austria shows once again how devastating the effects of natural forces can be and how important coordinated cooperation between civilian and military forces is. With air and ground units, the Austrian Armed Forces are providing crucial support for the flood areas. The operation includes not only evacuations and the transport of relief supplies, but also technical assistance, such as strengthening and sealing dams and removing blockages. Air support and the use of helicopters One of the biggest challenges in natural disasters such as floods is the transport of relief supplies to inaccessible areas. This is where the air support of the Federal Army comes into play. So far, 300 tons of sandbags and big bags have been flown to the affected areas by helicopters and the C-130 transport aircraft to protect critical infrastructure such as dams and roads. Sandbags play a key role in flood protection by holding back masses of water through rapid embankment and thus preventing residential areas from being flooded. A particularly important aspect of the operations is air safety. The air force has urgently called on the population to refrain from using private drones in the flood areas. Civil