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Defence Forces of Georgia

The Defence Forces of Georgia (Georgian: საქართველოს თავდაცვის ძალები, romanized: sakartvelos tavdatsvis dzalebi), or Georgian Defence Forces (GDF), are the combined military forces of Georgia, tasked with the defence of the nation's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. They consist of the Land Force, Air Force, National Guard, and Special Operations Forces. The Defence Forces are under overall leadership of the Minister of Defence of Georgia and directly headed by the Chief of Defence Forces.

Defence Forces of Georgia
საქართველოს თავდაცვის ძალები
Flag of the Georgian Defence Forces
Coat of arms of the Georgian Defence Forces
Founded30 April 1991
Current formDecember 2018
Service branches Land Forces
Air Force
National Guard
HeadquartersTbilisi, Georgia
Websitemod.gov.ge
Leadership
Commander-in-chief President Salome Zurabishvili
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze
Minister of Defence Irakli Chikovani
Chief of Defence ForcesMaj. Gen. Giorgi Matiashvili[1]
Personnel
Military age18–65 years old
Conscription18 years of age, 12 months
Available for
military service
2,156,000, age 18–65 (2019 est.)
Fit for
military service
1,023,400 male, age 18–65 (2019 est.)
Reaching military
age annually
49,751 (2019 est.)
Active personnel37,000[2]
Reserve personnel27,000 (Active as of 2023)
23,000 (Specialist as of 2023)
155,500 (territorial reserve as of 2024)
Deployed personnelCentral African Republic, Mali
Expenditures
Budget1.612 Billion GEL (2024)[3] 764,000,000 USD (2024)
Percent of GDP1.577% (2024)
Industry
Domestic suppliersTbilisi Aircraft Manufacturing
TAM Management
Scientific Technical Center Delta
Tbilisi Tank Factory
Delta CAA Tactical
Delta WB
Foreign suppliers Austria
 Bulgaria
 Czech Republic
 France
 Germany
 Israel
 Italy
 Japan
 Poland
 Portugal
 Romania
 Spain
 Sweden
 Switzerland
 Turkey
 United States
Former:
 Russia
 Belarus
 Ukraine
Related articles
HistoryMilitary history of Georgia
List of wars involving Georgia
RanksGeorgian military ranks

The first regular military was established in the first Georgian Republic in 1918 and was in existence until after the republic's overthrow by the invading Soviet Russian forces in 1921. The modern Georgian military were founded in accordance with the government decree of 24 April 1991. 30 April, the day when the first conscripts were called up for military service in 1991, has been celebrated as the day of the Georgian military forces.[4]

The Georgian military have fought in the civil war and separatist conflicts in the 1990s and the Russo-Georgian War of 2008 as well as major international military missions such as in Iraq and Afghanistan. Georgia was one of the first former Soviet republics to join the NATO Partnership for Peace program in 1994 and Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) in 2004 and has sought to bring its military in line with the NATO standards.

History of the Defence Forces edit

Establishment and early years edit

On 20 December 1990, President Zviad Gamsakhurdia ordered the creation of what is now the Defence Forces. In January 1991, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and Supreme Soviet Chairman Anatoly Lukyanov, demanded that Gamsakhurdia to stop the creation of the National Guard. The first military parade of the National Guard was held at Boris Paichadze Stadium on 30 April 1991, where for the first time in 70 years, Georgians swore allegiance to the Georgian people.[5] This day is today commemorated as Defence Forces Day.[6]

The new military was mainly manned by volunteers as well as ethnically Georgian officers who were serving in Soviet Army at the time. The transfer of former Transcaucasian Military District facilities, weapons and formations located in Georgia, which began in early 1992, lasted until 1997. On 30 April 1992, an agreement was signed on the transfer of military units and facilities by the heads of the defence ministries of the Russian Federation and Georgia. According to it, Georgia received the following formations:[7]

  • 10th Armoured Division (without 403rd Motorized Rifle Regiment) - Akhaltsikhe
  • 6th Fortified Area - Akhaltsikhe
  • 8th Fortified Area

During the Georgian Civil War, units waged war with supporters of the ousted Gamsakhurdia. The Georgian Armed Forces also took part in the 1991–1992 South Ossetia War and the War in Abkhazia (1992–1993), losing both, after which Georgia lost control over most of the territory of these republics.

21st century edit

The Georgia Train and Equip Program (GTEP) training was conducted using U.S. Special Operations Forces and U.S. Marine Corps forces from May 2002 to May 2004. During this time approximately 2,600 Georgian soldiers, including a headquarters staff element and 5 tactical units, received training. Another assistance program, the Georgia Security and Stability Operations Program (Georgia SSOP), was launched in January 2005 as a continuation of the (GTEP) of 2002–2004. Georgian contingents were involved in the Kosovo Force and continue to participate in the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The DFG have been extensively reformed in the recent years to meet Georgia's aspirations to join NATO and for better response to the existing challenges such as the ongoing tensions in the unresolved separatist conflict areas in Abkhazia and South Ossetia as well as to the threats of global terrorism. Georgia also views a large-scale foreign invasion and the spillover of conflicts from Russia's North Caucasus as the worst potential near- and long-term scenarios, respectively.[8]

On 8 August 2008 the Georgian military conducted an operation in Georgia's breakaway region South Ossetia (see 2008 South Ossetia War) in response to separatist attacks. The operation led to an armed conflict with forces from the Russian Federation and resulted in the defeat and expulsion of Georgian forces from South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Following the military operations, Russia recognized independence of the regions.

The military budget of Georgia increased more than 50 times over the period from 2002 (US$18 mln.) to 2007 (US$17000 mln.), reaching over 7% of Georgia's GDP. Currently the budget is 5000mln USD (145.5 Billion GEL).

Russo-Georgian War edit

In August 2008, following a series of fierce clashes in South Ossetia, Georgia attempted to re-take the separatist territory by force. In the resulting military conflict with Russia, Georgia was driven out of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and lost parts of its military capabilities. Russian forces sank four Georgian naval vessels in the port of Poti and hauled away nine rigid-hull inflatable boats. Georgia Land Forces lost approximately 30 T-72's, 6 BMP's, 2 BTR's and around 10 artillery pieces of all types in combat. The Russians also captured 5 intact BMP's, approximately 5 artillery pieces, BUK SAM system and OSA SAM system. The Georgian Air Force lost three AN-2's, 2 Mi-24's and 1 Mi-14 on the ground. Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia lost 2 Hermes 450 reconnaissance drones and 1 Otokar Cobra APC. The Russian military lost more military equipment in combat than Georgia.

Reconstruction edit

Georgia immediately began a process of re-armament after the war. The conflict was immediately followed by a replenishment program of the gaps in the single GAF arms components with an additional massive re-equipment and modernization program. Two Georgian naval vessels sunk in Poti were raised and returned to service.[9] The Georgian Navy's remaining operational units were merged into the Coast Guard, which received training in search and seizure tactics from the United States[citation needed]. Ukraine supplied Georgia with 30 BTR-70 armored personnel carriers, 2 BUK SAM system batteries and 6 OSA mobile SAM systems[citation needed]. Israel supplied Georgia with 13 Wolf APC's and SPYDER-SR SAM systems and many types of firearms[citation needed]. The U.S. supplied Georgia with many types of infantry equipment to Georgia such as infantry personal protection equipment, firearms, APC's and anti tank missiles. Georgia has also received MANPADs and radars from France[citation needed]. NATO militaries also often train with Georgian military and have annual military drills in Georgia. Georgia also rebuilt its damaged military bases and constructed more military barracks. By late 2010 the Georgian military had reached a strength greater than pre-war levels and, after completing the reforms, decisively reduced military spending. Beginning in 2010, Georgia started to produce its own line of APC's, IFV's, infantry personal protection equipment, small arms and mortars.[citation needed]

Structure edit

The Defence Forces of Georgia consist of four branches: Land Forces, Air Force, National Guard, and Special Operations Forces.[10]

The overall command is exercised by the Chief of Defence Forces, who is aided by the General Staff of the Defence Forces. The Defence Forces are further organized into several structural units:[10]

  • Eastern Command
  • Western Command
  • Air and Air Defence Command
  • Special Operations Forces
  • Military Training and Education Command
  • Army Logistics Command
  • National Guard
  • Military Police
  • Department of Military Intelligence

In wartime, several other bodies fall under the control of the Defence Forces additionally. These are:[10]

The Eastern Command and its Western counterpart are two main regional operational groupings, respectively, for eastern and western Georgia. They were created in the 2010s in order to have two autonomous territorial commands, with their own military staffs, logistical and administrative resources.

Branches edit

The Land Forces form the largest component of the DFG responsible for providing land defence against any threat to the nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity, supporting Border Police in border protection and civil authorities in counter-terrorist operations as well as providing units for NATO-led and coalition operations abroad. They are organized into infantry brigades, artillery and other supporting capacities operating at a battalion level.[11]

The Special Operations Forces are responsible for conducting special reconnaissance, unconventional warfare and counter-terrorism operations. The Georgian National Guard organizes and trains reservists in the peacetime and mobilizes them during a crisis or wartime.[11]

Ground arms edit

The structure of the Georgian Land Forces is based on brigade and battalion-sized military units. The main force consists of four infantry, one special operations, two artillery, one air defence brigades and several independent battalions. Georgian brigades have a total manpower of 3,000 each excluding non-combat personnel.[12] The overall strength of the land forces in 2013 was 37,825 (excluding active reserve), from which 21 were high-ranking officers, 6,166 officers and sergeants, 28,477 corporals and privates, 125 cadets and 388 civilians.[13] Accordingly, to reach NATO structures and higher standards the brigades were downsized to optimal as well as the 5th brigade disbanded, also to increase the percentage of spending on arms acquirement, which was previously 2%, to 6% of the military budget. The goal is to reach at least 15% until 2020. The ground forces are equipped with a variety of weapons and vehicles. Special forces operate independently under MOD direction.

The Georgian Land Force consists of following primary combat formations (incomplete):[14]

Force composition edit

 
Georgian soldiers, 44th Armored Battalion, drive a T-72 tank into a fighting position during a combined training exercise, Vaziani, Republic of Georgia, Aug. 6, 2017.
 
Soldiers of the 32nd Battalion conducting pre-deployment training, 2012
 
Georgian soldiers of 33rd Battalion and US Marines board a MV-22B Osprey during the Georgian lead operation Northern Lion II, 2013
 
Soldiers from the 43rd Mechanized Battalion during exercises, 2015
 
Georgian army soldier takes down grid coordinates during Defence Readiness Program-Training, 2018
  • HQ, Land Forces Command (Tbilisi)[15][16]
    • Central Command Point
  •   Operational Command East
    • 1st Infantry Brigade (Tbilisi)
      • 11th Light Infantry Battalion
      • 12th Light Infantry Battalion - NRF
      • 13th Light Infantry Battalion
      • 14th Mixed Armored Battalion
      • Artillery Battalion
      • Logistics Battalion
      • Reconnaissance Company
      • Engineer Company
      • Signal Company
    • 4th Mechanized Infantry Brigade (Vaziani)
      • 41st Mechanized Infantry Battalion
      • 43rd Mechanized Infantry Battalion
      • 42nd Mixed Armored Battalion
      • 44th Artillery Battalion
      • Logistics Battalion
      • Reconnaissance Company
      • Engineer Company
      • Signal Company
    • 5th Artillery Brigade (Vaziani)
      • 51st Artillery Battalion
      • 52nd Artillery Battalion
      • 53rd Security Battalion
      • Air Defence Company
    • Special Operations Battalion
    • Ranger Battalion
    • Combat Engineer Battalion
  •   Operational Command West
    • 2nd Infantry Brigade (Senaki)[17]
      • 21st Light Infantry Battalion
      • 22nd Light Infantry Battalion
      • 23rd Light Infantry Battalion
      • 21st Mixed Armored Battalion
      • Artillery Battalion
      • Logistics Battalion
      • Reconnaissance Company
      • Engineer Company
      • Signal Company
    • 3rd Infantry Brigade (The Mamelukes) (Kutaisi)
      • 31st Light Infantry Battalion
      • 32nd Light Infantry Battalion
      • 33rd Mixed Armored Battalion
      • 34th Artillery Battalion
      • Logistics Battalion
      • Reconnaissance Company
      • Engineer Company
      • Signal Company
    • 6th Artillery Brigade (Khoni)
      • 61st Artillery Battalion
      • 62nd Artillery Battalion
      • 63rd Security Battalion
      • Air Defence Company
    • Naval Special Operations Company
    • Combat Engineer Battalion
    • Medical Company
    • Separate Communications Company

Separate Elements edit

  •   Aviation and Air-Defence Command
  •   Army Logistics Command
  •   Training and Education Command
  • Engineer Brigade
  • Separate Reconnaissance Battalion (Kobuleti)
  • Separate Medical Battalion (Saguramo)
  • Separate Signal Battalion
  • Separate Logistics Battalion

In 2011 the Georgian high command decided to divide its military forces into two main operational units; the Eastern and Western Operational Groups. The aim was to create two independently acting military districts which would consist of forces in accordance to the strategic value of their deployment areas yet being balanced in their type of equipment. In case of war each group will be able to coordinate its operations independently from high command, having its own logistical and administrative reserves.

Special Operations Forces edit

The Special Operations Forces of the Defence Forces of Georgia were established to conduct unconventional warfare and the full spectrum of special operation missions. They also serve in supporting capacity for regular military forces, primarily in the areas of education and training.

Georgian special forces became first active in 1999 as part of KFOR. Georgian commandos participated in the Iraq War from 2003 until the complete withdrawal of the Georgian contingent in 2008 due to an escalation of hostilities in South Ossetia. According to independent accounts, a number of Georgian operatives were also deployed prior in Afghanistan to aide US Special Forces in hunting down Taliban leaders. Georgian officials have stated that a group of servicemen were deployed in Afghanistan for medical purposes.

Air Force edit

 
Georgian Su-25KM ground attack aircraft
 
Georgian Mi-24 attack helicopter

The Georgian Air Force (Georgian: საქართველოს საჰაერო ძალები, sak'art'velos sahaero dzalebi) is the air force of the Defence Forces of Georgia. It was established as part of the Georgian Armed Forces in 1992 and merged into Army Air Section in 2010. As part of reforms in the Georgian military, the Air Force was reestablished as a separate branch of the Defence Forces in 2016. Under the leadership of Georgian Minister of Defence Irakli Garibashvili the Air Force was re-prioritized and aircraft owned by the Georgian Air Force are being modernized and re-serviced after they were left abandoned for 4 years. The Minister of Defence also announced plans to acquire strike drones to increase Georgia's combat readiness.

Georgian Coast Guard (Former Naval Force) edit

The Georgian Navy was abolished in 2009 and was incorporated into the Coast Guard, which is not structurally part of the Defence Forces, but rather it is a subunit of the Border Guard of Georgia, which is under the control of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. The Coast Guard of Georgia is responsible for maintenance of the sovereignty of the country and for protection of internal territorial waters and economic zones. The headquarters and a principal Coast Guard base are located at the Black Sea port of Poti.

 
Georgian Coast Guard vessels

The other, smaller Coast Guard base is in Batumi. Besides the naval force, the navy also includes a Special Counter-terrorist Detachment force. Georgia is also one of the founding members and a participant of the Black Sea Naval Co-operation Task Group. Before the war with Russia, the Georgian navy had 19 naval vessels. Four of them were sunk during the conflict, and nine rigid-hull inflatables were captured by Russia. The Georgians raised and returned to service two of the sunken vessels, and partially replaced their losses with Turkish-built patrol/fast attack boats.

National Guard of Georgia edit

The National Guard of Georgia was established on 20 December 1990 and was manned mainly by volunteers. It represents the first Georgian armed formation, which became the base of the foundation for modern Defence Forces of Georgia. The Guard actively participated in the conflicts that occurred in Georgian territory (Samachablo, Abkhazia).

The National Guard used to consist of 20,554 personnel, but has now been reduced to 550.

  1. Support civil government in crisis situations (natural, technological, ecological);
  2. Register mobilization resources, study and deliver;
  3. Convene, select and man of citizens on the basis of the agreement, for the units, subunits and bases of the Defence Forces;
  4. Provide ceremonial activity support;
  5. Assisting in training the Reserve Forces.

Army Reserve and Territorial Defence Forces edit

The Army Reserve is a professional reserve force consisting of former regular army personnel only. Due to the amount of experience, the Reserve personnel would be drawn from to replace losses in the ranks of regular formations, but will if needed operate in the vanguard of a combined mechanized group or an infantry assault.

The Territorial Defence Forces were established for immediate readiness of the population in crisis events, such as war. Its main goals would be the fortification and defence of all populated and strategically important areas as well as providing quick aid or security for evacuation operations in case of natural catastrophes.

Other than the active army reserve which consists of only ex military personnel, the Territorial Defence Forces are rather sparsely prepared for complex military operations. It instead provides more comfort for the regular forces in case of war, by acting as an additional logistical arm and leaving the actual combat to the regular forces. With the land forces and reserve army engaged in direct action, the Defence Force's most important task would be to construct trenches, bunkers and obstacles around strategically important areas and position themselves on systematically formed defensive lines. Mobilization capacity is around 140,000 troops and is reasonably large.

The TDF reservist is comparably poorly equipped for modern warfare. It is rumored that Georgia possess thousands of firearms of all types and infantry personal protection equipment inherited from the Soviet Union which could be used by reservists. Georgia also possess few dozen T-55 tanks that are in storage that could be used by the reservist forces.

Commissioned officers edit

Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers Officer cadet
  Georgian Land Forces[18]
                   
გენერალი
Generali
გენერალ ლეიტენანტი
General leit’enant’i
გენერალ-მაიორი
General-maiori
ბრიგადის გენერალი
Brigadis generali
პოლკოვნიკი
P’olk’ovnik’i
ვიცე-პოლკოვნიკი
Vitse-p’olk’ovnik’i
მაიორი
Maiori
კაპიტანი
K’ap’it’ani
უფროსი ლეიტენანტი
Uprosi leit’enant’i
ლეიტენანტი
Leit’enant’i


  Georgian Air Force[18]
                   
გენერალი
Generali
გენერალ ლეიტენანტი
General leit’enant’i
გენერალ მაიორი
General maiori
ბრიგადის გენერალი
Brigadis generali
პოლკოვნიკი
P’olk’ovnik’i
ლეიტენანტ პოლკოვნიკი
Leit’enant’ p’olk’ovnik’i
მაიორი
Maiori
კაპიტანი
K’ap’it’ani
უფროსი ლეიტენანტი
Uprosi leit’enant’i
ლეიტენანტი
Leit’enant’i


Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers Officer cadet

International cooperation edit

 
MEDEVAC training with the US Army UH-60L helicopter during exercise Noble Partner 20.
 
A Bradley IFV from US Army Armored Regiment (Iron Knights) maneuvers across Vaziani Military Base for Noble Partner 17.

The Georgian Defence Forces frequently have large scale military drills involving heavy armor and parachute units with their NATO counterparts on Georgian soil to increase interoperability.

Peacekeeping missions edit

About 200 Georgian troops were deployed in the Kosovo (KFOR) in 1999–2008, 70 were deployed in Iraq (OIF) in 2003 and 50 in Afghanistan in 2004 (ISAF). From 2004 in Iraq were 300 Georgian troops. From 2005 approximately 850 troops were serving under Coalition Command (OIF and UNAMI). In July 2007 Georgia sent an extra 1,400 troops to Iraq; that brought the total number of troops in Iraq to 2,000. About 300 of these troops were assigned to Taskforce Petro and stationed at COP Cleary outside the town of Wahida near Salman Pak, Iraq. On 8 August 2008 Georgia announced it will withdraw 1,000 troops from Iraq due to rising hostilities with Russia. Their preparedness and training skills are evaluated on highest level by international experts. The entire Iraq contingent has been airlifted back to Georgia.

Hence, owing to participation in international peacekeeping missions the military members are able to obtain practical experience and to show readiness to cooperate with NATO and with other partner countries' forces.

Currently there are more than 1,570 Georgian combat troops deployed in Helmand, Afghanistan where Georgia has thus far suffered 22 deaths and over a hundred injuries.[19][20] In September 2012, Georgia stated that it would continue its contributions in Afghanistan following the 2014 NATO withdrawal.[21]

In November 2012, Georgia had doubled the number of troops deployed to fight with Nato-led forces in Afghanistan to over 1,500. Georgia has 1,570 troops serving there, making the small Caucasus country of 4.5 million people the largest non-Nato contributor to the Afghanistan mission.[22]

Since 2014 Georgia has contributed 140 troops to the EUFOR RCA peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic, Georgia also contributes its military units to Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan.

 
Operations abroad since 1991.
 
Georgian troops listening to a speech in Baghdad, Iraq
 
Georgian soldiers in Camp Leatherneck

Commanders edit

The Chief of General Staff is the highest-ranking officer in the military, heading the General Staff and being the ex officio Deputy Chief of the Defence Forces, who is the commander of the Defence Forces, being appointed by the Minister of Defence. The senior enlisted advisor of the Georigan military is the Sergeant Major of the Georgian Defence Forces (Georgian: საქართველოს შეიარაღებული ძალების სერჟანტი მაიორი, romanized: sakartvelos sheiaraghebuli dzalebis serzhant'i maiori), currently Sergeant Major Koba Tsirekidze (appointed on 11 April 2016).[23]

Military industry edit

 
Modernized BRDM-2 of Georgian Land Forces

Georgia has a long history of weapon production tracing back to ancient times. The modern arms industry began during the Soviet era. In 1941 Georgia became one of the most important Soviet weapon manufacturing states during the Second World War. It was responsible for providing the Soviet Army with all types of aircraft and ammunition. Tbilisi Aircraft Manufacturing's role didn't change after the war. Up until 1990 Georgia was producing various types of fighter aircraft, most notably the Su-25 since it was produced almost exclusively in Georgia, unmanned areal vehicles, missiles, satellite components and orbital satellites. The company lost most of its functionality and production capability when the Soviet Union dissolved, yet was not abandoned. In the late 1990s Georgia's JSC RMP and later the newly established Ministry of Defence section "Delta" started to work on the development of ballistic equipment using their own ingredients. The advanced research unit had successfully developed a variety of personal protection gear, such as bomb disposal suits and level I-IV body armour using classified mixtures of domestic resource. These projects never went beyond some prototypes, mainly due to poor attention and financing from the government.

With foreign support primarily from the United States since 2005, Georgia became able to start building a solid industrial base for the military. From 2001 to 2007, Delta experimented with unmanned aerial vehicles and modified parts for helicopters and Su-25 aircraft until it got involved in the modification of Georgia's T-72 tank fleet. In 2009–10, with enough experience and expertise and the assistance of designer Zviad Tsikolia, Delta created its first prototype of an armored personnel carrier, the Didgori. Early tests were highly successful so that its first production line started already in 2011. Two versions would initially serve in the armed forces in 2012, followed by different modifications from 2013 on. The Lazika is Delta's attempt to manufacture a suitable modular infantry fighting vehicle created for multiple tasks. Delta considers the Lazika as one of the best vehicles of its class bearing armour technology similar to that of Israel. The remotely operated systems are locally produced as well. Due to "misdirected financing" and heavy interfering of former government officials, project Lazika was temporarily cancelled in late 2012, also due to "sabotage" and shortcomings in its armour research, but then later continued in early 2013 when a newly elected government took charge.

As of 2007 Georgia has been domestically producing uniforms for its military personnel. Other main production lines include various types of artillery systems such as MLRS, mortars and corresponding ammunition, anti-tank weapons and devices, full uniform sets for ceremonies and for all service branches, including boots, hats, assault vests, pouches, and backpacks. New kind of ballistic vests and helmets have been developed and produced for military service since 2013. The Georgian production uses techniques based on know-how from aerospace research whose methods differ slightly yet significantly from foreign ones. In 2018 plans were announced for decisive expansions in manufacturing capabilities. With assistance from the United States and Israel, a weapon manufacturing plant was established for the development and production of AR-15 based firearms.[24]

 
Georgian made Lazika IFV
 
Georgian made Didgori-2
 
Georgian made Didgori Medevac

Bases edit

Name Location
Ministry of Defence Headquarters Tbilisi
Vaziani Military Base near Tbilisi
Krtsanisi Military Base near Tbilisi
Akhalkalaki Military Base Akhalkalaki
Alekseevka Airbase near Tbilisi
Marneuli Airbase Marneuli
Bolnisi Airbase near Tbilisi
Gori Military Base Gori
Senaki Military Base Senaki
Poti naval base Poti
Mukhrovani Military Base Mukhrovani
Kutaisi Military Base Kutaisi
Khelvachauri Military Base Khelvachauri
Khoni Military Base Khoni
Batumi naval base Batumi

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Giorgi Matiashvili - MOD.GOV.GE".
  2. ^ . parliament.ge. 31 Oct 2022. Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  3. ^ . parliament.ge. 14 December 2022. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  4. ^ "Georgia marks Armed Forces Day". Agenda.ge. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  5. ^ "ქართული ჯარის დიდი დღე". On.ge (in Georgian). 2017-05-01. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  6. ^ "georgianpress.ge - 1991 წლის 30 აპრილს ქართული გვარდიის პირველი აღლუმი პრეზიდენტმა ზვიად გამსახურდიამ ჩაიბარა". საინფორმაციო სააგენტო - Georgian Press. Retrieved 2021-03-14.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ Авакян Г. (2004). Вооружая Кавказ: Нечаянное наследие Москвы (PDF). In Матвеевой А.; Хизкока Д. (eds.). Кавказ: вооружён и разобщён. Moscow: Просветитель. pp. 163–173. (PDF) from the original on 2005-05-01.
  8. ^ The Strategic Defense Review (2007), p. 77.
  9. ^ "Tutte le dimensioni |IMG_0721 | Flickr – Condivisione di foto!". Flickr.com. Retrieved 2013-08-17.
  10. ^ a b c საქართველოს თავდაცვის შესახებ [On Defense of Georgia] (Law 1030) (in Georgian). 31 October 2018.
  11. ^ a b The Strategic Defense Review (2007), p. 74.
  12. ^ . Mod.gov.ge. Archived from the original on 2013-11-05. Retrieved 2013-08-17.
  13. ^ "Вооружённые силы Грузии". milkavkaz.net. 2009-10-13. Retrieved 2013-08-17.
  14. ^ . Mod.gov.ge. Archived from the original on 2014-03-23. Retrieved 2013-08-17.
  15. ^ "საქართველოს თავდაცვის სამინისტრო" (PDF). www.mod.gov.ge. (PDF) from the original on 2015-09-15.
  16. ^ "საქართველოს სახმელეთო ჯარების სტრუქტურა". 21 November 2010.
  17. ^ See also http://desantura.ru/veteran/521/
  18. ^ a b "სამხედრო წოდებები და ინსიგნიები" [Military Ranks and Insignia]. mod.gov.ge (in Georgian). Ministry of Defense of Georgia. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  19. ^ Tenth Georgia Soldier Killed in Afghanistan Retrieved: 1 September 2011
  20. ^ Seth Robson. "U.S. training a dual mission for Georgians". Stripes.com. Retrieved 2011-06-13.
  21. ^ Georgia keeps helping Afghanistan 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine - Armyrecognition.com, 10 September 2012
  22. ^ "Georgia doubles number of troops in Afghanistan". Khaama Press (KP), Afghan Online Newspaper. 28 November 2012.
  23. ^ . Archived from the original on 2020-06-17.
  24. ^ . Archived from the original on 2021-10-29.

  This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State. 2005   This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook (2024 ed.). CIA. (Archived 2005 edition.)

Further reading edit

External links edit

  • mod.gov.ge. Accessed on 7 May 2008.
  • GlobalSecurity.org on Georgia's military
  • Accessed on 6 March 2009.
  • Military Heraldry of Georgian Armed Forces.

defence, forces, georgia, military, forces, serving, state, georgia, georgia, national, guard, georgia, state, defense, force, georgian, საქართველოს, თავდაცვის, ძალები, romanized, sakartvelos, tavdatsvis, dzalebi, georgian, defence, forces, combined, military,. For military forces serving the U S State of Georgia see Georgia National Guard and Georgia State Defense Force The Defence Forces of Georgia Georgian საქართველოს თავდაცვის ძალები romanized sakartvelos tavdatsvis dzalebi or Georgian Defence Forces GDF are the combined military forces of Georgia tasked with the defence of the nation s independence sovereignty and territorial integrity They consist of the Land Force Air Force National Guard and Special Operations Forces The Defence Forces are under overall leadership of the Minister of Defence of Georgia and directly headed by the Chief of Defence Forces Defence Forces of Georgiaსაქართველოს თავდაცვის ძალებიFlag of the Georgian Defence ForcesCoat of arms of the Georgian Defence ForcesFounded30 April 1991Current formDecember 2018Service branchesLand Forces Air Force National GuardHeadquartersTbilisi GeorgiaWebsitemod wbr gov wbr geLeadershipCommander in chiefPresident Salome ZurabishviliPrime MinisterIrakli KobakhidzeMinister of DefenceIrakli ChikovaniChief of Defence ForcesMaj Gen Giorgi Matiashvili 1 PersonnelMilitary age18 65 years oldConscription18 years of age 12 monthsAvailable formilitary service2 156 000 age 18 65 2019 est Fit formilitary service1 023 400 male age 18 65 2019 est Reaching militaryage annually49 751 2019 est Active personnel37 000 2 Reserve personnel27 000 Active as of 2023 23 000 Specialist as of 2023 155 500 territorial reserve as of 2024 Deployed personnelCentral African Republic MaliExpendituresBudget1 612 Billion GEL 2024 3 764 000 000 USD 2024 Percent of GDP1 577 2024 IndustryDomestic suppliersTbilisi Aircraft ManufacturingTAM ManagementScientific Technical Center DeltaTbilisi Tank FactoryDelta CAA TacticalDelta WBForeign suppliers Austria Bulgaria Czech Republic France Germany Israel Italy Japan Poland Portugal Romania Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey United States Former Russia Belarus UkraineRelated articlesHistoryMilitary history of GeorgiaList of wars involving GeorgiaRanksGeorgian military ranks The first regular military was established in the first Georgian Republic in 1918 and was in existence until after the republic s overthrow by the invading Soviet Russian forces in 1921 The modern Georgian military were founded in accordance with the government decree of 24 April 1991 30 April the day when the first conscripts were called up for military service in 1991 has been celebrated as the day of the Georgian military forces 4 The Georgian military have fought in the civil war and separatist conflicts in the 1990s and the Russo Georgian War of 2008 as well as major international military missions such as in Iraq and Afghanistan Georgia was one of the first former Soviet republics to join the NATO Partnership for Peace program in 1994 and Individual Partnership Action Plan IPAP in 2004 and has sought to bring its military in line with the NATO standards Contents 1 History of the Defence Forces 1 1 Establishment and early years 1 2 21st century 1 3 Russo Georgian War 1 4 Reconstruction 2 Structure 2 1 Branches 2 1 1 Ground arms 2 1 2 Force composition 2 1 3 Separate Elements 2 2 Special Operations Forces 2 3 Air Force 2 4 Georgian Coast Guard Former Naval Force 2 5 National Guard of Georgia 2 6 Army Reserve and Territorial Defence Forces 2 7 Commissioned officers 3 International cooperation 3 1 Peacekeeping missions 4 Commanders 5 Military industry 6 Bases 7 See also 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External linksHistory of the Defence Forces editMain articles Georgian Armenian War 1918 Georgian Ossetian conflict 1918 1920 Red Army invasion of Georgia 1991 1992 South Ossetia War War in Abkhazia 1992 1993 Russo Georgian War and Military history of Georgia Establishment and early years edit On 20 December 1990 President Zviad Gamsakhurdia ordered the creation of what is now the Defence Forces In January 1991 Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and Supreme Soviet Chairman Anatoly Lukyanov demanded that Gamsakhurdia to stop the creation of the National Guard The first military parade of the National Guard was held at Boris Paichadze Stadium on 30 April 1991 where for the first time in 70 years Georgians swore allegiance to the Georgian people 5 This day is today commemorated as Defence Forces Day 6 The new military was mainly manned by volunteers as well as ethnically Georgian officers who were serving in Soviet Army at the time The transfer of former Transcaucasian Military District facilities weapons and formations located in Georgia which began in early 1992 lasted until 1997 On 30 April 1992 an agreement was signed on the transfer of military units and facilities by the heads of the defence ministries of the Russian Federation and Georgia According to it Georgia received the following formations 7 10th Armoured Division without 403rd Motorized Rifle Regiment Akhaltsikhe 6th Fortified Area Akhaltsikhe 8th Fortified Area During the Georgian Civil War units waged war with supporters of the ousted Gamsakhurdia The Georgian Armed Forces also took part in the 1991 1992 South Ossetia War and the War in Abkhazia 1992 1993 losing both after which Georgia lost control over most of the territory of these republics 21st century edit The Georgia Train and Equip Program GTEP training was conducted using U S Special Operations Forces and U S Marine Corps forces from May 2002 to May 2004 During this time approximately 2 600 Georgian soldiers including a headquarters staff element and 5 tactical units received training Another assistance program the Georgia Security and Stability Operations Program Georgia SSOP was launched in January 2005 as a continuation of the GTEP of 2002 2004 Georgian contingents were involved in the Kosovo Force and continue to participate in the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan The DFG have been extensively reformed in the recent years to meet Georgia s aspirations to join NATO and for better response to the existing challenges such as the ongoing tensions in the unresolved separatist conflict areas in Abkhazia and South Ossetia as well as to the threats of global terrorism Georgia also views a large scale foreign invasion and the spillover of conflicts from Russia s North Caucasus as the worst potential near and long term scenarios respectively 8 On 8 August 2008 the Georgian military conducted an operation in Georgia s breakaway region South Ossetia see 2008 South Ossetia War in response to separatist attacks The operation led to an armed conflict with forces from the Russian Federation and resulted in the defeat and expulsion of Georgian forces from South Ossetia and Abkhazia Following the military operations Russia recognized independence of the regions The military budget of Georgia increased more than 50 times over the period from 2002 US 18 mln to 2007 US 17000 mln reaching over 7 of Georgia s GDP Currently the budget is 5000mln USD 145 5 Billion GEL Russo Georgian War edit Main article Russo Georgian War In August 2008 following a series of fierce clashes in South Ossetia Georgia attempted to re take the separatist territory by force In the resulting military conflict with Russia Georgia was driven out of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and lost parts of its military capabilities Russian forces sank four Georgian naval vessels in the port of Poti and hauled away nine rigid hull inflatable boats Georgia Land Forces lost approximately 30 T 72 s 6 BMP s 2 BTR s and around 10 artillery pieces of all types in combat The Russians also captured 5 intact BMP s approximately 5 artillery pieces BUK SAM system and OSA SAM system The Georgian Air Force lost three AN 2 s 2 Mi 24 s and 1 Mi 14 on the ground Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia lost 2 Hermes 450 reconnaissance drones and 1 Otokar Cobra APC The Russian military lost more military equipment in combat than Georgia Reconstruction edit Georgia immediately began a process of re armament after the war The conflict was immediately followed by a replenishment program of the gaps in the single GAF arms components with an additional massive re equipment and modernization program Two Georgian naval vessels sunk in Poti were raised and returned to service 9 The Georgian Navy s remaining operational units were merged into the Coast Guard which received training in search and seizure tactics from the United States citation needed Ukraine supplied Georgia with 30 BTR 70 armored personnel carriers 2 BUK SAM system batteries and 6 OSA mobile SAM systems citation needed Israel supplied Georgia with 13 Wolf APC s and SPYDER SR SAM systems and many types of firearms citation needed The U S supplied Georgia with many types of infantry equipment to Georgia such as infantry personal protection equipment firearms APC s and anti tank missiles Georgia has also received MANPADs and radars from France citation needed NATO militaries also often train with Georgian military and have annual military drills in Georgia Georgia also rebuilt its damaged military bases and constructed more military barracks By late 2010 the Georgian military had reached a strength greater than pre war levels and after completing the reforms decisively reduced military spending Beginning in 2010 Georgia started to produce its own line of APC s IFV s infantry personal protection equipment small arms and mortars citation needed Structure editThe Defence Forces of Georgia consist of four branches Land Forces Air Force National Guard and Special Operations Forces 10 The overall command is exercised by the Chief of Defence Forces who is aided by the General Staff of the Defence Forces The Defence Forces are further organized into several structural units 10 Eastern Command Western Command Air and Air Defence Command Special Operations Forces Military Training and Education Command Army Logistics Command National Guard Military Police Department of Military Intelligence In wartime several other bodies fall under the control of the Defence Forces additionally These are 10 Border Police of Georgia a subordinate agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia Department of Special Operations Public Security Forces a subunit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia Department for Protection of Strategic Pipelines a subunit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia Department for Protection of Strategic Infrastructure a subunit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia National Defence Academy of Georgia a legal entity under the Ministry of Defence Military Hospital of the Ministry of Defence Cybersecurity Bureau a legal entity under the Ministry of Defence Data Exchange Agency a legal entity under the Ministry of Justice of Georgia The Eastern Command and its Western counterpart are two main regional operational groupings respectively for eastern and western Georgia They were created in the 2010s in order to have two autonomous territorial commands with their own military staffs logistical and administrative resources Branches edit The Land Forces form the largest component of the DFG responsible for providing land defence against any threat to the nation s sovereignty and territorial integrity supporting Border Police in border protection and civil authorities in counter terrorist operations as well as providing units for NATO led and coalition operations abroad They are organized into infantry brigades artillery and other supporting capacities operating at a battalion level 11 The Special Operations Forces are responsible for conducting special reconnaissance unconventional warfare and counter terrorism operations The Georgian National Guard organizes and trains reservists in the peacetime and mobilizes them during a crisis or wartime 11 Ground arms edit Main article Georgian Land Forces The structure of the Georgian Land Forces is based on brigade and battalion sized military units The main force consists of four infantry one special operations two artillery one air defence brigades and several independent battalions Georgian brigades have a total manpower of 3 000 each excluding non combat personnel 12 The overall strength of the land forces in 2013 was 37 825 excluding active reserve from which 21 were high ranking officers 6 166 officers and sergeants 28 477 corporals and privates 125 cadets and 388 civilians 13 Accordingly to reach NATO structures and higher standards the brigades were downsized to optimal as well as the 5th brigade disbanded also to increase the percentage of spending on arms acquirement which was previously 2 to 6 of the military budget The goal is to reach at least 15 until 2020 The ground forces are equipped with a variety of weapons and vehicles Special forces operate independently under MOD direction The Georgian Land Force consists of following primary combat formations incomplete 14 Force composition edit nbsp Georgian soldiers 44th Armored Battalion drive a T 72 tank into a fighting position during a combined training exercise Vaziani Republic of Georgia Aug 6 2017 nbsp Soldiers of the 32nd Battalion conducting pre deployment training 2012 nbsp Georgian soldiers of 33rd Battalion and US Marines board a MV 22B Osprey during the Georgian lead operation Northern Lion II 2013 nbsp Soldiers from the 43rd Mechanized Battalion during exercises 2015 nbsp Georgian army soldier takes down grid coordinates during Defence Readiness Program Training 2018 HQ Land Forces Command Tbilisi 15 16 Central Command Point nbsp Operational Command East 1st Infantry Brigade Tbilisi 11th Light Infantry Battalion 12th Light Infantry Battalion NRF 13th Light Infantry Battalion 14th Mixed Armored Battalion Artillery Battalion Logistics Battalion Reconnaissance Company Engineer Company Signal Company 4th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Vaziani 41st Mechanized Infantry Battalion 43rd Mechanized Infantry Battalion 42nd Mixed Armored Battalion 44th Artillery Battalion Logistics Battalion Reconnaissance Company Engineer Company Signal Company 5th Artillery Brigade Vaziani 51st Artillery Battalion 52nd Artillery Battalion 53rd Security Battalion Air Defence Company Special Operations Battalion Ranger Battalion Combat Engineer Battalion nbsp Operational Command West 2nd Infantry Brigade Senaki 17 21st Light Infantry Battalion 22nd Light Infantry Battalion 23rd Light Infantry Battalion 21st Mixed Armored Battalion Artillery Battalion Logistics Battalion Reconnaissance Company Engineer Company Signal Company 3rd Infantry Brigade The Mamelukes Kutaisi 31st Light Infantry Battalion 32nd Light Infantry Battalion 33rd Mixed Armored Battalion 34th Artillery Battalion Logistics Battalion Reconnaissance Company Engineer Company Signal Company 6th Artillery Brigade Khoni 61st Artillery Battalion 62nd Artillery Battalion 63rd Security Battalion Air Defence Company Naval Special Operations Company Combat Engineer Battalion Medical Company Separate Communications Company Separate Elements edit nbsp Aviation and Air Defence Command nbsp Army Logistics Command nbsp Training and Education Command Engineer Brigade Separate Reconnaissance Battalion Kobuleti Separate Medical Battalion Saguramo Separate Signal Battalion Separate Logistics Battalion In 2011 the Georgian high command decided to divide its military forces into two main operational units the Eastern and Western Operational Groups The aim was to create two independently acting military districts which would consist of forces in accordance to the strategic value of their deployment areas yet being balanced in their type of equipment In case of war each group will be able to coordinate its operations independently from high command having its own logistical and administrative reserves Special Operations Forces edit Main article Georgian Special Operations Forces The Special Operations Forces of the Defence Forces of Georgia were established to conduct unconventional warfare and the full spectrum of special operation missions They also serve in supporting capacity for regular military forces primarily in the areas of education and training Georgian special forces became first active in 1999 as part of KFOR Georgian commandos participated in the Iraq War from 2003 until the complete withdrawal of the Georgian contingent in 2008 due to an escalation of hostilities in South Ossetia According to independent accounts a number of Georgian operatives were also deployed prior in Afghanistan to aide US Special Forces in hunting down Taliban leaders Georgian officials have stated that a group of servicemen were deployed in Afghanistan for medical purposes Air Force edit Main article Georgian Air Force nbsp Georgian Su 25KM ground attack aircraft nbsp Georgian Mi 24 attack helicopter The Georgian Air Force Georgian საქართველოს საჰაერო ძალები sak art velos sahaero dzalebi is the air force of the Defence Forces of Georgia It was established as part of the Georgian Armed Forces in 1992 and merged into Army Air Section in 2010 As part of reforms in the Georgian military the Air Force was reestablished as a separate branch of the Defence Forces in 2016 Under the leadership of Georgian Minister of Defence Irakli Garibashvili the Air Force was re prioritized and aircraft owned by the Georgian Air Force are being modernized and re serviced after they were left abandoned for 4 years The Minister of Defence also announced plans to acquire strike drones to increase Georgia s combat readiness Georgian Coast Guard Former Naval Force edit Main article Georgian Navy The Georgian Navy was abolished in 2009 and was incorporated into the Coast Guard which is not structurally part of the Defence Forces but rather it is a subunit of the Border Guard of Georgia which is under the control of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia The Coast Guard of Georgia is responsible for maintenance of the sovereignty of the country and for protection of internal territorial waters and economic zones The headquarters and a principal Coast Guard base are located at the Black Sea port of Poti nbsp Georgian Coast Guard vessels The other smaller Coast Guard base is in Batumi Besides the naval force the navy also includes a Special Counter terrorist Detachment force Georgia is also one of the founding members and a participant of the Black Sea Naval Co operation Task Group Before the war with Russia the Georgian navy had 19 naval vessels Four of them were sunk during the conflict and nine rigid hull inflatables were captured by Russia The Georgians raised and returned to service two of the sunken vessels and partially replaced their losses with Turkish built patrol fast attack boats National Guard of Georgia edit The National Guard of Georgia was established on 20 December 1990 and was manned mainly by volunteers It represents the first Georgian armed formation which became the base of the foundation for modern Defence Forces of Georgia The Guard actively participated in the conflicts that occurred in Georgian territory Samachablo Abkhazia The National Guard used to consist of 20 554 personnel but has now been reduced to 550 Support civil government in crisis situations natural technological ecological Register mobilization resources study and deliver Convene select and man of citizens on the basis of the agreement for the units subunits and bases of the Defence Forces Provide ceremonial activity support Assisting in training the Reserve Forces Army Reserve and Territorial Defence Forces edit The Army Reserve is a professional reserve force consisting of former regular army personnel only Due to the amount of experience the Reserve personnel would be drawn from to replace losses in the ranks of regular formations but will if needed operate in the vanguard of a combined mechanized group or an infantry assault The Territorial Defence Forces were established for immediate readiness of the population in crisis events such as war Its main goals would be the fortification and defence of all populated and strategically important areas as well as providing quick aid or security for evacuation operations in case of natural catastrophes Other than the active army reserve which consists of only ex military personnel the Territorial Defence Forces are rather sparsely prepared for complex military operations It instead provides more comfort for the regular forces in case of war by acting as an additional logistical arm and leaving the actual combat to the regular forces With the land forces and reserve army engaged in direct action the Defence Force s most important task would be to construct trenches bunkers and obstacles around strategically important areas and position themselves on systematically formed defensive lines Mobilization capacity is around 140 000 troops and is reasonably large The TDF reservist is comparably poorly equipped for modern warfare It is rumored that Georgia possess thousands of firearms of all types and infantry personal protection equipment inherited from the Soviet Union which could be used by reservists Georgia also possess few dozen T 55 tanks that are in storage that could be used by the reservist forces Commissioned officers edit Main article Officer armed forces Rank group General flag officers Senior officers Junior officers Officer cadet nbsp Georgian Land Forces 18 vte nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp გენერალი Generali გენერალ ლეიტენანტი General leit enant i გენერალ მაიორი General maiori ბრიგადის გენერალი Brigadis generali პოლკოვნიკი P olk ovnik i ვიცე პოლკოვნიკი Vitse p olk ovnik i მაიორი Maiori კაპიტანი K ap it ani უფროსი ლეიტენანტი Uprosi leit enant i ლეიტენანტი Leit enant i nbsp Georgian Air Force 18 vte nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp გენერალი Generali გენერალ ლეიტენანტი General leit enant i გენერალ მაიორი General maiori ბრიგადის გენერალი Brigadis generali პოლკოვნიკი P olk ovnik i ლეიტენანტ პოლკოვნიკი Leit enant p olk ovnik i მაიორი Maiori კაპიტანი K ap it ani უფროსი ლეიტენანტი Uprosi leit enant i ლეიტენანტი Leit enant i Rank group General flag officers Senior officers Junior officers Officer cadetInternational cooperation edit nbsp MEDEVAC training with the US Army UH 60L helicopter during exercise Noble Partner 20 nbsp A Bradley IFV from US Army Armored Regiment Iron Knights maneuvers across Vaziani Military Base for Noble Partner 17 The Georgian Defence Forces frequently have large scale military drills involving heavy armor and parachute units with their NATO counterparts on Georgian soil to increase interoperability Peacekeeping missions edit Main articles Role of Georgia in the War in Afghanistan 2001 2021 and Role of Georgia in the Iraq War About 200 Georgian troops were deployed in the Kosovo KFOR in 1999 2008 70 were deployed in Iraq OIF in 2003 and 50 in Afghanistan in 2004 ISAF From 2004 in Iraq were 300 Georgian troops From 2005 approximately 850 troops were serving under Coalition Command OIF and UNAMI In July 2007 Georgia sent an extra 1 400 troops to Iraq that brought the total number of troops in Iraq to 2 000 About 300 of these troops were assigned to Taskforce Petro and stationed at COP Cleary outside the town of Wahida near Salman Pak Iraq On 8 August 2008 Georgia announced it will withdraw 1 000 troops from Iraq due to rising hostilities with Russia Their preparedness and training skills are evaluated on highest level by international experts The entire Iraq contingent has been airlifted back to Georgia Hence owing to participation in international peacekeeping missions the military members are able to obtain practical experience and to show readiness to cooperate with NATO and with other partner countries forces Currently there are more than 1 570 Georgian combat troops deployed in Helmand Afghanistan where Georgia has thus far suffered 22 deaths and over a hundred injuries 19 20 In September 2012 Georgia stated that it would continue its contributions in Afghanistan following the 2014 NATO withdrawal 21 In November 2012 Georgia had doubled the number of troops deployed to fight with Nato led forces in Afghanistan to over 1 500 Georgia has 1 570 troops serving there making the small Caucasus country of 4 5 million people the largest non Nato contributor to the Afghanistan mission 22 Since 2014 Georgia has contributed 140 troops to the EUFOR RCA peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic Georgia also contributes its military units to Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan nbsp Operations abroad since 1991 nbsp Georgian troops listening to a speech in Baghdad Iraq nbsp Georgian soldiers in Camp LeatherneckCommanders editMain article Chief of General Staff of Georgian Armed Forces The Chief of General Staff is the highest ranking officer in the military heading the General Staff and being the ex officio Deputy Chief of the Defence Forces who is the commander of the Defence Forces being appointed by the Minister of Defence The senior enlisted advisor of the Georigan military is the Sergeant Major of the Georgian Defence Forces Georgian საქართველოს შეიარაღებული ძალების სერჟანტი მაიორი romanized sakartvelos sheiaraghebuli dzalebis serzhant i maiori currently Sergeant Major Koba Tsirekidze appointed on 11 April 2016 23 Military industry editMain article STC Delta nbsp Modernized BRDM 2 of Georgian Land Forces Georgia has a long history of weapon production tracing back to ancient times The modern arms industry began during the Soviet era In 1941 Georgia became one of the most important Soviet weapon manufacturing states during the Second World War It was responsible for providing the Soviet Army with all types of aircraft and ammunition Tbilisi Aircraft Manufacturing s role didn t change after the war Up until 1990 Georgia was producing various types of fighter aircraft most notably the Su 25 since it was produced almost exclusively in Georgia unmanned areal vehicles missiles satellite components and orbital satellites The company lost most of its functionality and production capability when the Soviet Union dissolved yet was not abandoned In the late 1990s Georgia s JSC RMP and later the newly established Ministry of Defence section Delta started to work on the development of ballistic equipment using their own ingredients The advanced research unit had successfully developed a variety of personal protection gear such as bomb disposal suits and level I IV body armour using classified mixtures of domestic resource These projects never went beyond some prototypes mainly due to poor attention and financing from the government With foreign support primarily from the United States since 2005 Georgia became able to start building a solid industrial base for the military From 2001 to 2007 Delta experimented with unmanned aerial vehicles and modified parts for helicopters and Su 25 aircraft until it got involved in the modification of Georgia s T 72 tank fleet In 2009 10 with enough experience and expertise and the assistance of designer Zviad Tsikolia Delta created its first prototype of an armored personnel carrier the Didgori Early tests were highly successful so that its first production line started already in 2011 Two versions would initially serve in the armed forces in 2012 followed by different modifications from 2013 on The Lazika is Delta s attempt to manufacture a suitable modular infantry fighting vehicle created for multiple tasks Delta considers the Lazika as one of the best vehicles of its class bearing armour technology similar to that of Israel The remotely operated systems are locally produced as well Due to misdirected financing and heavy interfering of former government officials project Lazika was temporarily cancelled in late 2012 also due to sabotage and shortcomings in its armour research but then later continued in early 2013 when a newly elected government took charge As of 2007 Georgia has been domestically producing uniforms for its military personnel Other main production lines include various types of artillery systems such as MLRS mortars and corresponding ammunition anti tank weapons and devices full uniform sets for ceremonies and for all service branches including boots hats assault vests pouches and backpacks New kind of ballistic vests and helmets have been developed and produced for military service since 2013 The Georgian production uses techniques based on know how from aerospace research whose methods differ slightly yet significantly from foreign ones In 2018 plans were announced for decisive expansions in manufacturing capabilities With assistance from the United States and Israel a weapon manufacturing plant was established for the development and production of AR 15 based firearms 24 nbsp Georgian made Lazika IFV nbsp Georgian made Didgori 2 nbsp Georgian made Didgori MedevacBases editName Location Ministry of Defence Headquarters Tbilisi Vaziani Military Base near Tbilisi Krtsanisi Military Base near Tbilisi Akhalkalaki Military Base Akhalkalaki Alekseevka Airbase near Tbilisi Marneuli Airbase Marneuli Bolnisi Airbase near Tbilisi Gori Military Base Gori Senaki Military Base Senaki Poti naval base Poti Mukhrovani Military Base Mukhrovani Kutaisi Military Base Kutaisi Khelvachauri Military Base Khelvachauri Khoni Military Base Khoni Batumi naval base BatumiSee also editGeorgia and NATO List of equipment of the Defence Forces of GeorgiaReferences edit Giorgi Matiashvili MOD GOV GE DEFENSE AND SECURITY COMMITTEE APPROVING NUMBER OF DEFENSE FORCES TO PLENARY SESSION parliament ge 31 Oct 2022 Archived from the original on 12 October 2023 Retrieved 13 September 2023 THE PARLIAMENT DISCUSSING THE DRAFT STATE BUDGET 2023 parliament ge 14 December 2022 Archived from the original on 1 October 2023 Retrieved 14 December 2022 Georgia marks Armed Forces Day Agenda ge 30 April 2018 Retrieved 10 January 2019 ქართული ჯარის დიდი დღე On ge in Georgian 2017 05 01 Retrieved 2021 03 14 georgianpress ge 1991 წლის 30 აპრილს ქართული გვარდიის პირველი აღლუმი პრეზიდენტმა ზვიად გამსახურდიამ ჩაიბარა საინფორმაციო სააგენტო Georgian Press Retrieved 2021 03 14 permanent dead link Avakyan G 2004 Vooruzhaya Kavkaz Nechayannoe nasledie Moskvy PDF In Matveevoj A Hizkoka D eds Kavkaz vooruzhyon i razobshyon Moscow Prosvetitel pp 163 173 Archived PDF from the original on 2005 05 01 The Strategic Defense Review 2007 p 77 Tutte le dimensioni IMG 0721 Flickr Condivisione di foto Flickr com Retrieved 2013 08 17 a b c საქართველოს თავდაცვის შესახებ On Defense of Georgia Law 1030 in Georgian 31 October 2018 a b The Strategic Defense Review 2007 p 74 Structure of Land Forces Mod gov ge Archived from the original on 2013 11 05 Retrieved 2013 08 17 Vooruzhyonnye sily Gruzii milkavkaz net 2009 10 13 Retrieved 2013 08 17 Georgian Ministry of Defence Land Force Mod gov ge Archived from the original on 2014 03 23 Retrieved 2013 08 17 საქართველოს თავდაცვის სამინისტრო PDF www mod gov ge Archived PDF from the original on 2015 09 15 საქართველოს სახმელეთო ჯარების სტრუქტურა 21 November 2010 See also http desantura ru veteran 521 a b სამხედრო წოდებები და ინსიგნიები Military Ranks and Insignia mod gov ge in Georgian Ministry of Defense of Georgia Retrieved 12 March 2018 Tenth Georgia Soldier Killed in Afghanistan Retrieved 1 September 2011 Seth Robson U S training a dual mission for Georgians Stripes com Retrieved 2011 06 13 Georgia keeps helping Afghanistan Archived 2015 04 02 at the Wayback Machine Armyrecognition com 10 September 2012 Georgia doubles number of troops in Afghanistan Khaama Press KP Afghan Online Newspaper 28 November 2012 Koba Tsirekidze Archived from the original on 2020 06 17 Production of an automatic rifle of NATO standards GI 4 5 56 starts in Georgia Rustavi2 Archived from the original on 2021 10 29 nbsp This article incorporates public domain material from U S Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets United States Department of State 2005 nbsp This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook 2024 ed CIA Archived 2005 edition Further reading editDenise Hammick Country Briefing Georgia On the Cusp Jane s Defence Weekly 2 January 2008External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Military of Georgia geo army ge an information website Ministry of Defence of Georgia The Strategic Defence Review 2007 mod gov ge Accessed on 7 May 2008 GlobalSecurity org on Georgia s military Ministry of the defence of Georgia Armed Forces of Georgia Accessed on 6 March 2009 Military Heraldry of Georgian Armed Forces Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Defence Forces of Georgia amp oldid 1223728380, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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