EKO Cobra (Einsatzkommando Cobra) is Austria's foremost counter-terrorism special operations tactical unit. It is not part of the Austrian Federal Police but is directly under the control of the Austrian Federal Ministry for the Interior.
![]()
The Einsatzkommando Cobra, formerly known as GEK (Gendarmerieeinsatzkommando) was formed in 1978, primarily as a response to the attack on Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Its main office is in Wiener Neustadt, with sub-offices in Graz and Linz and Innsbruck in Tyrol. The 450 men (1 woman) of EKO Cobra are a well trained counter-terrorist commando unit and have trained with some of the most elite special forces units.
![]()
![]()
EKO Cobra in action
On 17 October 1996, four Cobra officers were on board an Aeroflot Tupolev Tu-154 escorting deported prisoners to Lagos when a Nigerian man threatened the cockpit crew with a knife and demanded a diversion to Germany or South Africa. The team overpowered the man and handed him over to the authorities after landing. The officers received a decoration by Russian prime minister Putin.
EKO Cobra, Innsbruck airport
EKO Cobra is armed mainly with Austrian and sometimes foreign-produced weaponry.
Text source: Wikipedia.
All photos by Elisabeth Fazel from the air festival 2012 in Innsbruck in Tirol.