Military of Georgia
Encyclopedia
The Georgian Armed Forces ( Sak’art’velos Sheiaraghebuli Dzalebi), is the name of the unified armed forces
of Georgia
. The Georgian
military
is a defence force consisting of the Georgian Land Forces
, Georgian Air Force
and a paramilitary organization Georgian National Guard
. The national defence policy aims which are based on the Constitution of Georgia
are to guarantee the preservation of the independence
and sovereignty
of the state and the integrity
of its land area, territorial waters and airspace and its constitutional order. The armed forces of Georgia are performed under the authority of the Georgian Ministry of Defense
.
units on Georgian soil, irregular militias, and Georgian personnel returning from other posts within the former Soviet Armed Forces
.
On March 23, 1994, Georgia
was one of the first former Soviet Republic
s to join the Partnership for Peace
. Among the Partners Georgia was the first country who could submit the special documentation (May 2004) and on October 29, 2004 the North Atlantic Council
approved the first Individual Partnership Action Plan
(IPAP) for Georgia. If the IPAP is successful, Georgia will have good opportunity to accede to the Membership Action Plan (MAP).
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 GAF 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.
On August 8, 2008 the Georgian military conducted an operation in Georgia's breakaway region South Ossetia
(see 2008 South Ossetia War
). 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, declared a decade ago.
The military budget of Georgia increased more than 50 times over the period from 2002 (US$ 18 mln.) to 2007 (US$ 780 mln.), reaching over 7% of Georgia's GDP. The military budget was then
doubled to the end of 2008 and currently since February 2009, counts 660 mln lari (US$ 366 mln.)
, Georgia attempted to 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. According to Defense Minister Davit Kezerashvili
, Georgia lost $250 million of material worth. Russian forces confiscated a total of 1,728 firearms. Out of its original 200 T-72
tanks, more than 35 were lost, including 24 that were captured intact. A total of 50 pieces of military equipment were captured, and some others destroyed. Parts of Georgia's relatively modern artillery and anti-aircraft units were captured and later destroyed. Russian forces sank four Georgian naval vessels in the port of Poti, a coast guard gunboat in a naval skirmish, and hauled away nine rigid-hull inflatable boats. The Georgian Air Force lost two L-29 jet trainers, one AN-2 airplane, and four helicopters, all destroyed on the ground. Despite these mostly non combat losses, President Mikheil Saakashvili
claimed that Georgia had lost less than 5% of its military hardware capabilities, disagreeing on Georgian military figures.
were raised and returned to service, although one had to undergo repairs. Georgia also purchased patrol/fast attack boats from Turkey
, although their heaviest armaments were 25-30mm cannons. The Georgian Navy's remaining operational naval units were merged into the Georgian Coast Guard, which received training in search and seizure tactics from the United States
. Ukraine
delivered munitions and artillery systems to Georgia in September 2008, and later supplied Georgia with 12 T-84
and 10 T-72
tanks, three BTR-80
armored personnel carriers, sixty portable air defense missiles, munitions for rocket launchers, and anti-tank guided missiles. Ukraine continued to supply shipments of arms to Georgia, and announced that it would only stop if the United Nations Security Council
imposed an arms embargo. Turkey
sold Georgia 75 armored personnel carriers, firearms, ammunition, military vehicles, telecommunications systems, and Pakistan
i-made missiles. Israel
supplied Georgia with firearms after the war. The United States also delivered large amounts of arms and military equipment to Georgia after the war, and trained Georgian personnel. Israel sold Georgia numerous Unmanned aerial vehicle
s, and Turkey
supplied Georgia with two helicopters. The United States also trained Georgian soldiers to be deployed in Afghanistan
. Georgia also rebuilt its damaged military bases. In August 2010, Georgia was reported to be spending 30 times more on its military budget than on economic development. By late 2010 the Georgian military had reached a strength greater than pre-war levels and, after completing the reforms, decisively reduced military spending.
, military reserve and temporary staff of the Defense Ministry of Georgia.
The Land Forces form the largest component of the GAF responsible for providing land defense 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.
The Air Force consists of aviation and air defense assets and provides security to Georgia’s airspace, while the Georgian Navy protects Georgia’s territorial waters and contributes to the collective maritime defense in the Black Sea region. The Special Force Brigade is responsible for conducting 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.
is based on brigade
and battalion
sized military units. The main operational regular force consists of five infantry and two artillery brigades. Separate battalions are: the Light Infantry Battalion, one Engineer Battalion, one Air-Defense Battalion, one Signal Battalion, one Technical Reconnaissance Battalion, two Anti-Tank
Battalions and one Medical Battalion. The Army Brigades consist of several battalions and
companies
having a manpower of up to 5.500+ each including non-combat personnel. The overall strength of Land Forces is 36,553 (excluding reserve forces) from which 21 are high ranking officers, 6,166 officers and sergeants, 28,477 corporals, 125 Cadets and 388 civilians. The ground arm is equipped with various weapons systems and vehicles (see here). Special Forces units and Counter Terrorism sections are separated to the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Interior headquarters. The Georgian Land Force consists of following combat formations (incomplete) :
Georgian Special Forces are subordinated under the MOD Special Operations Main Division to a brigade-level command structure. Each formation is split into several sub-divisions which are allocated on different Georgian regions, cities and strategically important areas. Most units are composed of veterans of past conflicts including the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, the wars in Georgia and the insurgency in Chechnya
. Some soldiers served in former Soviet Army
formations in Russia and the Ukraine.
Since 2001, Georgia has intensified the training of its elite forces in cooperation with American, French
, British
, Israeli
and other countries' special services. 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.
In the very first hours of the 2008 South Ossetia War
, Georgian special forces backed by artillery successfully eliminated armed opposition around the city of Tskhinvali
as a prerequisite for the full-scale ground assault which followed shortly after in the morning of August 8. The Georgian military then announced that more than 11 villages in South Ossetia were under control of government forces. However the Georgian military would ultimately be pushed back out of South Ossetia following Russian intervention in the conflict.
Following the reversal, the bulk of Georgian special forces assisted Interior Ministry units in the evacuation of ethnic Georgians
and VIP
s out of South Ossetia
. Sergeant Kakhaber Tavgorashvili died in the morning of August 8 in the course of fighting, the only member of Georgia's special forces to be killed in action to date. Around 55 were reported with injuries of different degrees. Special Forces followed the general withdrawal order but set up key points very close to Russian forces at towns like Igoeti and Gori
.
The Georgian Air Force was merged into the Army in 2010, and was renamed the Army Air Section, undergoing massive reorganization and restructuring. The additional operative section of the Georgian Land Forces
currently consists of an unknown amount of planes, transport helicopters, gunships and 3,000 Personnel. The Georgian Air Force lost two helicopters on ground during the 2008 South Ossetia War
,
Two major airfields are located near Tbilisi
at Alekseevka and Marneuli
.
port of Poti
.
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. 4 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. Their heaviest armaments are 25-30mm cannons. However, no Georgian navy vessels are armed with ship-to-ship missiles.
was established on December 20, 1990 and was manned by volunteers. It represents the first Georgian armed formation, which became the base of the foundation for modern Georgian Armed Forces. 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. The main missions of the National Guard are:
10th Cadre Brigade (Kojori
)
20th Cadre Brigade (Senaki
)
30th Cadre Brigade (Mukhrovani
)
50th Cadre Brigade (Telavi
)
Active Cadre Brigades are being properly trained and prepared for emergency and wartime situations by the National Guard and the Land Forces. The professional main core of the Reserve Forces in times of crisis and war consists of five active and fully operational Cadre Brigades with additional regional division headquarters. These combat formations consisting of only volunteers will reinforce the regular army in its activities when short on personnel or even directly support engagements.
Further on, the so called "Rally Points" of the regional divisional headquarters allow the Georgian government to mobilize and arm national reserve units of division strength in a matter of days if a war brakes out. Approximately around 100.000 citizens of Georgia would be mobilized in such a case. The in comparison to the Land Forces and National Guard rather poorly equipped reserve has not much access to mobility providing options like armour and in general tracked or wheeled vehicles, but trucks. In addition, there is also a limited choice of small arms, mostly of soviet origin. The National Guard department guarantees adequate supply of equipment and arms if the situation affords it, including uniformsm, ballistic vests and equipement. The uniforms are customarily identical with those of the Land Forces. Reserve units may have access to the few still operational T-55
AM2 medium tanks of the pre-1990-2005 Georgian Army.
List of weapons used by the Reserve as of 2007:
, Persian Gulf
) since 1999.
Units participating in peacekeeping missions are manned by professional soldiers, the duration of the mission is six months and participation is voluntary. The readiness assessment criteria are, as follows: health condition, physical fitness, professional skills and experience.
). From 2004 in Iraq were 300 Georgian troops. From 2005 approximately 850 troops were serving under Coalition Command (OIF and UNAMI
). On July 2007 Georgia sent an extra 1,400 troops to Iraq
; that brought the total number of troops in Iraq to 2,000. On August 8, 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 975 Georgian combat troops deployed in Helmand, Afghanistan
where Georgia has thus far suffered 10 deaths and 38 injuries.
Armed forces
The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
of Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
. The Georgian
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
is a defence force consisting of the Georgian Land Forces
Georgian Land Forces
The Georgian Ground Forces are the land force component of the Georgian Armed Forces. They are the largest branch of the military and constitute the bulk of the GAF.-History:...
, Georgian Air Force
Georgian Air Force
The Georgian Air Force is the air arm of the Georgian Armed Forces. Currently, it has 2,971 military and civilian personnel, fixed wing aircraft , helicopters of different types and air defense missiles of the "surface-to-air" class. The Air Force was founded in 1991 in the wake of the break-up...
and a paramilitary organization Georgian National Guard
National Guard of Georgia
The National Guard of Georgia is a military structure within the Georgian Armed Forces and has a department status within the Ministry of Defense. It is tasked with responding to external threats, civil disturbances, and natural disasters...
. The national defence policy aims which are based on the Constitution of Georgia
Constitution of Georgia (country)
The Constitution of Georgia is the supreme law of Georgia. It was approved by the Parliament of Georgia on August 24 1995. It entered into force on October 17...
are to guarantee the preservation of the independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
and sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
of the state and the integrity
Integrity
Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions...
of its land area, territorial waters and airspace and its constitutional order. The armed forces of Georgia are performed under the authority of the Georgian Ministry of Defense
Ministry of Defense (Georgia)
The Ministry of Defense of Georgia is the Georgian government ministry, in charge of Georgian Armed Forces and regulating activities in defense of the country from external threats, preserving territorial integrity and waging wars on behalf of Georgia...
.
History
The GAF were established in the early 1990s from former Soviet ArmySoviet Army
The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...
units on Georgian soil, irregular militias, and Georgian personnel returning from other posts within the former Soviet Armed Forces
Soviet Armed Forces
The Soviet Armed Forces, also called the Armed Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Armed Forces of the Soviet Union refers to the armed forces of the Russian SFSR , and Soviet Union from their beginnings in the...
.
On March 23, 1994, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
was one of the first former Soviet Republic
Republics of the Soviet Union
The Republics of the Soviet Union or the Union Republics of the Soviet Union were ethnically-based administrative units that were subordinated directly to the Government of the Soviet Union...
s to join the Partnership for Peace
Partnership for Peace
Partnership for Peace is a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation program aimed at creating trust between NATO and other states in Europe and the former Soviet Union; 22 States are members...
. Among the Partners Georgia was the first country who could submit the special documentation (May 2004) and on October 29, 2004 the North Atlantic Council
North Atlantic Council
North Atlantic Council is the most senior political governing body of NATO established by Article 9 of the North Atlantic Treaty. The NAC can be held at the Permanent Representative Level , or can be composed of member states' Ministers of State, Defense, or Heads of Government. The NAC has the...
approved the first Individual Partnership Action Plan
Individual Partnership Action Plan
Individual Partnership Action Plans, or IPAPs, are plans developed between NATO and different countries, that state the objectives and the communication framework for dialogue and cooperation between both parties...
(IPAP) for Georgia. If the IPAP is successful, Georgia will have good opportunity to accede to the Membership Action Plan (MAP).
Georgia Train and Equip Program
The Georgia Train and Equip Program was an American-sponsored 18-month, $64-million program aimed at increasing the capabilities of the Georgian armed forces by training and equipping four 600-man battalions with light weapons, vehicles and communications...
(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
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
.
The GAF 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
Abkhazia
Abkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...
and South Ossetia
South Ossetia
South Ossetia or Tskhinvali Region is a disputed region and partly recognized state in the South Caucasus, located in the territory of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the former Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic....
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
North Caucasus
The North Caucasus is the northern part of the Caucasus region between the Black and Caspian Seas and within European Russia. The term is also used as a synonym for the North Caucasus economic region of Russia....
as the worst potential near- and long-term scenarios, respectively.
On August 8, 2008 the Georgian military conducted an operation in Georgia's breakaway region South Ossetia
South Ossetia
South Ossetia or Tskhinvali Region is a disputed region and partly recognized state in the South Caucasus, located in the territory of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the former Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic....
(see 2008 South Ossetia War
2008 South Ossetia war
The 2008 South Ossetia War or Russo-Georgian War was an armed conflict in August 2008 between Georgia on one side, and Russia and separatist governments of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other....
). 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, declared a decade ago.
The military budget of Georgia increased more than 50 times over the period from 2002 (US$ 18 mln.) to 2007 (US$ 780 mln.), reaching over 7% of Georgia's GDP. The military budget was then
doubled to the end of 2008 and currently since February 2009, counts 660 mln lari (US$ 366 mln.)
20th century
21st century
In August 2008, following a series of fierce clashes in South OssetiaSouth Ossetia
South Ossetia or Tskhinvali Region is a disputed region and partly recognized state in the South Caucasus, located in the territory of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the former Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic....
, Georgia attempted to take the separatist territory by force. In the resulting military conflict with Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Georgia was driven out of South Ossetia and Abkhazia
Abkhazia
Abkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...
, and lost parts of its military capabilities. According to Defense Minister Davit Kezerashvili
Davit Kezerashvili
Davit Kezerashvili is a Georgian politician, who from November 10, 2006 to December 5, 2008 was the country's Minister of Defense.-Biography:...
, Georgia lost $250 million of material worth. Russian forces confiscated a total of 1,728 firearms. Out of its original 200 T-72
T-72
The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1970. It is developed directly from Obyekt-172, and shares parallel features with the T-64A...
tanks, more than 35 were lost, including 24 that were captured intact. A total of 50 pieces of military equipment were captured, and some others destroyed. Parts of Georgia's relatively modern artillery and anti-aircraft units were captured and later destroyed. Russian forces sank four Georgian naval vessels in the port of Poti, a coast guard gunboat in a naval skirmish, and hauled away nine rigid-hull inflatable boats. The Georgian Air Force lost two L-29 jet trainers, one AN-2 airplane, and four helicopters, all destroyed on the ground. Despite these mostly non combat losses, President Mikheil Saakashvili
Mikheil Saakashvili
Mikheil Saakashvili is a Georgian politician, the third and current President of Georgia and leader of the United National Movement Party.Involved in the national politics since 1995, Saakashvili became president on 25 January 2004 after President Eduard Shevardnadze resigned in a November 2003...
claimed that Georgia had lost less than 5% of its military hardware capabilities, disagreeing on Georgian military figures.
Reconstruction
Georgia immediately began a process of re-armament after the war. The conflict was immediately followed by a very quick 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 PotiPoti
Poti is a port city in Georgia, located on the eastern Black Sea coast in the region of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti in the west of the country. Built near the site of the ancient Greek colony of Phasis, the city has become a major port city and industrial center since the early 20th century. It is also...
were raised and returned to service, although one had to undergo repairs. Georgia also purchased patrol/fast attack boats from Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, although their heaviest armaments were 25-30mm cannons. The Georgian Navy's remaining operational naval units were merged into the Georgian Coast Guard, which received training in search and seizure tactics from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
delivered munitions and artillery systems to Georgia in September 2008, and later supplied Georgia with 12 T-84
T-84
The T-84 is a Ukrainian main battle tank, a development of the Soviet T-80 main battle tank. It was first built in 1994 and entered service in the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 1999. The T-84 is based on the diesel-engined T-80 version, the T-80UD...
and 10 T-72
T-72
The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1970. It is developed directly from Obyekt-172, and shares parallel features with the T-64A...
tanks, three BTR-80
BTR-80
BTR-80 is an 8x8 wheeled armoured personnel carrier designed in the Soviet Union. Production started in 1986 and replaced the previous versions, BTR-60 and BTR-70 in the Soviet army. -Description:The Soviets based the BTR-80 on the BTR-70 APC...
armored personnel carriers, sixty portable air defense missiles, munitions for rocket launchers, and anti-tank guided missiles. Ukraine continued to supply shipments of arms to Georgia, and announced that it would only stop if the United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
imposed an arms embargo. Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
sold Georgia 75 armored personnel carriers, firearms, ammunition, military vehicles, telecommunications systems, and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i-made missiles. Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
supplied Georgia with firearms after the war. The United States also delivered large amounts of arms and military equipment to Georgia after the war, and trained Georgian personnel. Israel sold Georgia numerous Unmanned aerial vehicle
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
s, and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
supplied Georgia with two helicopters. The United States also trained Georgian soldiers to be deployed in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. Georgia also rebuilt its damaged military bases. In August 2010, Georgia was reported to be spending 30 times more on its military budget than on economic development. By late 2010 the Georgian military had reached a strength greater than pre-war levels and, after completing the reforms, decisively reduced military spending.
Organization
The current authorized strength of the GAF structures is 36,553 personnel, including, 21 high ranking officers, 6,166 officers and sergeants, 28,477 corporals, 125 cadets and around 388 civilians. The Georgian Parliament aims to increase the professional strength of the ground forces till 2011. The Georgian legislation (17 December 2010) establishes the strength of armed forces at no more than 37,000 for the year 2011. This limitation does not extend to the state of warWar
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
, military reserve and temporary staff of the Defense Ministry of Georgia.
- Georgian Land ForcesGeorgian Land ForcesThe Georgian Ground Forces are the land force component of the Georgian Armed Forces. They are the largest branch of the military and constitute the bulk of the GAF.-History:...
- National Guard of GeorgiaNational Guard of GeorgiaThe National Guard of Georgia is a military structure within the Georgian Armed Forces and has a department status within the Ministry of Defense. It is tasked with responding to external threats, civil disturbances, and natural disasters...
The Land Forces form the largest component of the GAF responsible for providing land defense 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.
The Air Force consists of aviation and air defense assets and provides security to Georgia’s airspace, while the Georgian Navy protects Georgia’s territorial waters and contributes to the collective maritime defense in the Black Sea region. The Special Force Brigade is responsible for conducting 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.
Ground Arms
The structure of the Georgian Land ForcesGeorgian Land Forces
The Georgian Ground Forces are the land force component of the Georgian Armed Forces. They are the largest branch of the military and constitute the bulk of the GAF.-History:...
is based on brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
and battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
sized military units. The main operational regular force consists of five infantry and two artillery brigades. Separate battalions are: the Light Infantry Battalion, one Engineer Battalion, one Air-Defense Battalion, one Signal Battalion, one Technical Reconnaissance Battalion, two Anti-Tank
Battalions and one Medical Battalion. The Army Brigades consist of several battalions and
companies
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
having a manpower of up to 5.500+ each including non-combat personnel. The overall strength of Land Forces is 36,553 (excluding reserve forces) from which 21 are high ranking officers, 6,166 officers and sergeants, 28,477 corporals, 125 Cadets and 388 civilians. The ground arm is equipped with various weapons systems and vehicles (see here). Special Forces units and Counter Terrorism sections are separated to the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Interior headquarters. The Georgian Land Force consists of following combat formations (incomplete) :
Regular Forces
- Army HQ, Land Forces Command (TbilisiTbilisiTbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
)- Central Command Point
- Mixed-Transport Aviation Base
- Air-Defence Technique Repair Base
- Communications Unit
- 1st Infantry Brigade (GoriGori, GeorgiaGori is a city in eastern Georgia, which serves as the regional capital of Shida Kartli and the centre of the homonymous administrative district. The name is from Georgian gora , that is, "heap", or "hill"...
)- 11th Telavi Light Infantry Battalion
- 12th Light Infantry Battalion
- 13th "Shavnabada" Light Infantry Battalion
- 14th Light Infantry Battalion
- 15th Light Infantry Battalion
- One Anti Tank Battalion, one Motorized Rifle Battalion, two Mechanized Battalions, one Reconnaissance Battalion, one Mountain Combat Section
- 2nd Infantry Brigade (SenakiSenakiSenaki is a town in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, western Georgia. It is located at around .From 1935 to 1976 it was called Tskhakaya in honor of the Georgian Bolshevik revolutionary leader Mikhail Tskhakaya....
)- 21st Light Infantry Battalion
- 22nd Light Infantry Battalion
- 23rd Light Infantry Battalion
- 24th Light Infantry Battalion
- 25th Light Infantry Battalion
- One Anti Tank Battalion, two Motorized Infantry Battalions, one Mechanized Battalion, one Air-Support squadron, one Air-Combat group, one Air-Defence section, two Reconnaissance platoons
- 3rd Infantry Brigade (The Mamelukes) (KutaisiKutaisiKutaisi is Georgia's second largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti. It is 221 km to the west of Tbilisi.-Geography:...
)- 31st Light Infantry Battalion
- 32nd Light Infantry Battalion - deployed in Helmand ProvinceHelmand ProvinceHelmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
, Afghanistan - 33rd Light Infantry Battalion - currently replacing the 32nd Battalion in Afghanistan
- 34th Light Infantry Battalion
- 35th Light Infantry Battalion
- One Anti Tank Battalion, one Motorized Infantry Battalion, one Armoured Battalion, one Signal Battalion, one Air-transport wing, one Engineer Battalion, one heavy artillery support cadre.
- 4th Infantry Brigade (Vaziani)
- 41st Light Infantry Battalion
- 42nd Light Infantry Battalion
- 43rd Light Infantry Battalion
- 44th Light Infantry Battalion
- 45th Light Infantry Battalion
- Two Anti Tank Battalions, Two Mechanized Battalion, one Air-transport wing, one Air-support squadron, one Reconnaissance and Surveillance Battalion.
- 5th Infantry Brigade (KhelvachauriKhelvachauriKhelvachauri is a small town in Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia, 8 km southeast to the regional capital Batumi. The towns of Khelvachauri and Makhinjauri, and adjoining 75 villages form Khelvachauri District bordered by the Black Sea to the west and Turkey to the south...
and KhoniKhoniKhoni is a town in the Western Georgian region of Imereti with the population of 11,300 . It is situated on the left bank of the Tskhenistkali River in the north-west of Imereti, close to the border with the region of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti and 266 km west of Georgia's capital Tbilisi. The town...
)- 51st Light Infantry Battalion
- 52nd Light Infantry Battalion
- 53rd Light Infantry Battalion
- 54th Light Infantry Battalion
- 55th Light Infantry Battalion
- One Mountain Battalion, One Air-transport wing, two Tank Battalions, one Mechanized Battalion, two Motorized Rifle Battalions, two Anti-Air Battalions
- Separate Formations
- The Engineer Brigade, the Aviation Brigade, the Air Defence Brigade (KutaisiKutaisiKutaisi is Georgia's second largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti. It is 221 km to the west of Tbilisi.-Geography:...
), the Separate Tank Battalion (GoriGori, GeorgiaGori is a city in eastern Georgia, which serves as the regional capital of Shida Kartli and the centre of the homonymous administrative district. The name is from Georgian gora , that is, "heap", or "hill"...
), the 1st separate Anti-Tank Battalion (GoriGori, GeorgiaGori is a city in eastern Georgia, which serves as the regional capital of Shida Kartli and the centre of the homonymous administrative district. The name is from Georgian gora , that is, "heap", or "hill"...
), the 2nd separate Anti-Tank Battalion, the Separate Light Infantry Battalion (Adlia), the Separate Pioneer Battalion (Saguramo), the Separate Technical Reconnaissance Battalion (KobuletiKobuletiKobuleti is a town in Georgia's southwestern region of Ajaria. It is situated on the eastern coast of the Black Sea. Kobuleti is a sea resort, visited annually by Georgians and many former Soviet Union residents. From the 17th century into the 19th, Kobuleti was a fiefdom of the Tavdgiridze...
), the separate Communications Battalion and the Medical Regiment (Saguramo)
- 1st Artillery Brigade (Vaziani)
- 2S7 Pion2S7 PionThe 2S7 Pion or Malka is a Soviet self-propelled gun. "2S7" is its GRAU designation.It was identified for the first time in 1975 in the Soviet army and so was called M-1975 by NATO , whereas its official designation is SO-203...
batteries - LAR-160LAR-160The LAR-160 is a light artillery rocket with a 160mm calibre and a range of 45 km, from a multiple rocket launcher.It is manufactured by Israel Military Industries...
batteries - BM-21BM-21The BM-21 launch vehicle , a Soviet truck-mounted 122 mm multiple rocket launcher, and a M-21OF rocket were developed in the early 1960s. BM stands for boyevaya mashina, ‘combat vehicle’, and the nickname means ‘hail’. The complete system with the BM-21 launch vehicle and the M-21OF rocket...
batteries - RM-70RM-70The RM-70 multiple rocket launcher is a Czechoslovak army version and the heavier variant of the BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher, providing enhanced performance over its parent artillery system that was introduced in 1971 .- Overview :RM-70 was developed in Czechoslovakia as a successor for...
batteries - SO-152 batteries
- 152mm SpGH DANA batteries
- 152 mm gun 2A36152 mm gun 2A36The 2A36 Giatsint-B is a Soviet/Russian towed 152 mm gun which entered service in 1976. The 2A36 is designed to suppress and destroy enemy manpower and equipment. It is also suitable for counter-battery fire. The gun can be used in various weather conditions and has been tested in temperatures...
heavy howitzer batteries - 152 mm howitzer 2A65152 mm howitzer 2A65The 2A65 "Msta-B" is a Soviet towed 152 mm howitzer. The "B" in the designation is an abbreviation for Buksiruemyi, or towed. This weapon has been fielded in Russian forces since at least 1987 and is currently in service with Russian front and army level artillery units...
medium howitzer batteries - D-30 light howitzer batteries
- D-4885 mm antitank gun D-48The 85-mm antitank gun D-48 was a Soviet 85-mm calibre antitank gun used after World War II. It was designed as the replacement for the 100 mm field gun M1944 . Distinguishing features of the D-48 include a very long barrel and a pepper-pot Muzzle brake. The D-48 was itself replaced in the 1960s...
antitank gun batteries - 2B11 mortar platoons
- M43 mortar platoons
- Two Anti Air Battalions, two Infantry Battalions and reconnaissance-surveillance companies.
- 2S7 Pion
- 2nd Artillery Brigade (KhoniKhoniKhoni is a town in the Western Georgian region of Imereti with the population of 11,300 . It is situated on the left bank of the Tskhenistkali River in the north-west of Imereti, close to the border with the region of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti and 266 km west of Georgia's capital Tbilisi. The town...
)- 2S7 Pion2S7 PionThe 2S7 Pion or Malka is a Soviet self-propelled gun. "2S7" is its GRAU designation.It was identified for the first time in 1975 in the Soviet army and so was called M-1975 by NATO , whereas its official designation is SO-203...
batteries - BM-21BM-21The BM-21 launch vehicle , a Soviet truck-mounted 122 mm multiple rocket launcher, and a M-21OF rocket were developed in the early 1960s. BM stands for boyevaya mashina, ‘combat vehicle’, and the nickname means ‘hail’. The complete system with the BM-21 launch vehicle and the M-21OF rocket...
batteries - RM-70RM-70The RM-70 multiple rocket launcher is a Czechoslovak army version and the heavier variant of the BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher, providing enhanced performance over its parent artillery system that was introduced in 1971 .- Overview :RM-70 was developed in Czechoslovakia as a successor for...
batteries - SO-152 batteries
- 152mm SpGH DANA batteries
- 152 mm gun 2A36152 mm gun 2A36The 2A36 Giatsint-B is a Soviet/Russian towed 152 mm gun which entered service in 1976. The 2A36 is designed to suppress and destroy enemy manpower and equipment. It is also suitable for counter-battery fire. The gun can be used in various weather conditions and has been tested in temperatures...
heavy howitzer batteries - 152 mm howitzer 2A65152 mm howitzer 2A65The 2A65 "Msta-B" is a Soviet towed 152 mm howitzer. The "B" in the designation is an abbreviation for Buksiruemyi, or towed. This weapon has been fielded in Russian forces since at least 1987 and is currently in service with Russian front and army level artillery units...
medium howitzer batteries - D-30 light howitzer batteries
- MT-12 anti tank gun batteries
- 2B11 mortar platoons
- M43 mortar platoons
- Two Anti Air Battalions, two Infantry Battalions and reconnaissance-surveillance companies.
- 2S7 Pion
Special Forces
- Army HQ, Special Operations Main Division (TbilisiTbilisiTbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
) - Special Forces BrigadeSpecial Forces Brigade (Georgia)The Special Forces Brigade is the elite Georgian Armed Forces component. It has been established to conduct special operations, covert operations, special reconnaissance, counter intelligence, counter terrorism, counter insurgency and asymmetric warfare in and outside the Republic of Georgia...
- Vashlijvari Special Operations Center
- Naval Warfare Center
- Rapid Response Battalion
- Air Assault Group Mobile
- Special Reconnaissance Detachment Alpha
Georgian Special Forces are subordinated under the MOD Special Operations Main Division to a brigade-level command structure. Each formation is split into several sub-divisions which are allocated on different Georgian regions, cities and strategically important areas. Most units are composed of veterans of past conflicts including the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, the wars in Georgia and the insurgency in Chechnya
First Chechen War
The First Chechen War, also known as the War in Chechnya, was a conflict between the Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, fought from December 1994 to August 1996...
. Some soldiers served in former Soviet Army
Soviet Army
The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...
formations in Russia and the Ukraine.
Since 2001, Georgia has intensified the training of its elite forces in cooperation with American, French
Commandement des Opérations Spéciales
The Commandement des Opérations Spéciales is the organisation which coordinates the use of the French special forces of all military branches . The COS was created on 24 June 1992, following the Gulf War...
, British
United Kingdom Special Forces
The United Kingdom Special Forces is a UK Ministry of Defence Directorate which also has the capability to provide a Joint Special Operations Task Force Headquarters...
, Israeli
Sayeret
Sayeret , literally means "reconnaissance unit" in the Israel Defense Forces . In practice, these units specialize in commando and other special forces roles, in addition to reconnaissance...
and other countries' special services. 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
2008 South Ossetia war
The 2008 South Ossetia War or Russo-Georgian War was an armed conflict in August 2008 between Georgia on one side, and Russia and separatist governments of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other....
. 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.
In the very first hours of the 2008 South Ossetia War
2008 South Ossetia war
The 2008 South Ossetia War or Russo-Georgian War was an armed conflict in August 2008 between Georgia on one side, and Russia and separatist governments of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other....
, Georgian special forces backed by artillery successfully eliminated armed opposition around the city of Tskhinvali
Tskhinvali
Tskhinvali , is the capital of South Ossetia, a disputed region which has been recognised as an independent Republic by Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Nauru, and is regarded by Georgia and the rest of the world as part of the Shida Kartli region within Georgian sovereign territory.It is located...
as a prerequisite for the full-scale ground assault which followed shortly after in the morning of August 8. The Georgian military then announced that more than 11 villages in South Ossetia were under control of government forces. However the Georgian military would ultimately be pushed back out of South Ossetia following Russian intervention in the conflict.
Following the reversal, the bulk of Georgian special forces assisted Interior Ministry units in the evacuation of ethnic Georgians
Ethnic cleansing of Georgians in South Ossetia
Ethnic cleansing of Georgians in South Ossetia was the removal of Georgian people, which was conducted in South Ossetia and other territories occupied by Russian and South Ossetian forces, which happened during and after the 2008 South Ossetia war....
and VIP
VIP
VIP and V.I.P. is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:-In general:* Vacuum insulated panel* Values, Influence, and Peers, an anti-crime campaign in Ontario elementary schools* Variable Information Printing, a form of on-demand printing...
s out of South Ossetia
South Ossetia
South Ossetia or Tskhinvali Region is a disputed region and partly recognized state in the South Caucasus, located in the territory of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the former Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic....
. Sergeant Kakhaber Tavgorashvili died in the morning of August 8 in the course of fighting, the only member of Georgia's special forces to be killed in action to date. Around 55 were reported with injuries of different degrees. Special Forces followed the general withdrawal order but set up key points very close to Russian forces at towns like Igoeti and Gori
Gori, Georgia
Gori is a city in eastern Georgia, which serves as the regional capital of Shida Kartli and the centre of the homonymous administrative district. The name is from Georgian gora , that is, "heap", or "hill"...
.
Army Air Section (former Air Force)
The Georgian Air Force was merged into the Army in 2010, and was renamed the Army Air Section, undergoing massive reorganization and restructuring. The additional operative section of the Georgian Land Forces
Georgian Land Forces
The Georgian Ground Forces are the land force component of the Georgian Armed Forces. They are the largest branch of the military and constitute the bulk of the GAF.-History:...
currently consists of an unknown amount of planes, transport helicopters, gunships and 3,000 Personnel. The Georgian Air Force lost two helicopters on ground during the 2008 South Ossetia War
2008 South Ossetia war
The 2008 South Ossetia War or Russo-Georgian War was an armed conflict in August 2008 between Georgia on one side, and Russia and separatist governments of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other....
,
Two major airfields are located near Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
at Alekseevka and Marneuli
Marneuli
Marneuli is a small city in the Kvemo Kartli region of southern Georgia and administrative center of Marneuli District that borders neighboring Azerbaijan and Armenia.-Population:...
.
Georgian Coast Guard (Former Naval Force)
The Georgian Navy was abolished in 2009 and was incorporated into the Coast Guard, which is not structurally part of the Georgian Armed 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 SeaBlack Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
port of Poti
Poti
Poti is a port city in Georgia, located on the eastern Black Sea coast in the region of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti in the west of the country. Built near the site of the ancient Greek colony of Phasis, the city has become a major port city and industrial center since the early 20th century. It is also...
.
The other, smaller Coast Guard base is in Batumi
Batumi
Batumi is a seaside city on the Black Sea coast and capital of Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia. Sometimes considered Georgia's second capital, with a population of 121,806 , Batumi serves as an important port and a commercial center. It is situated in a subtropical zone, rich in...
. 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
Black Sea Naval Co-operation Task Group
The Black Sea Naval Force , was created in early 2001 under the leadership of Turkey, with the participation of all other Black Sea littoral states, namely Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia and Georgia...
. Before the war with Russia, the Georgian navy had 19 naval vessels. 4 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. Their heaviest armaments are 25-30mm cannons. However, no Georgian navy vessels are armed with ship-to-ship missiles.
National Guard of Georgia
The National Guard of GeorgiaNational Guard of Georgia
The National Guard of Georgia is a military structure within the Georgian Armed Forces and has a department status within the Ministry of Defense. It is tasked with responding to external threats, civil disturbances, and natural disasters...
was established on December 20, 1990 and was manned by volunteers. It represents the first Georgian armed formation, which became the base of the foundation for modern Georgian Armed Forces. 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. The main missions of the National Guard are:
- 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 Armed Forces;
- Provide ceremonial activity support;
- Assisting in training the Reserve Forces.
Reserve Army and People's Reserve
The Georgian Reserve Army is organized and commanded by Land Forces, the National Guard Department of Georgia and consist of following formations:(incomplete)10th Cadre Brigade (Kojori
Kojori
Kojori is a townlet in Georgia, some 20 kilometers southwest of the nation’s capital of Tbilisi. It is a climatic spa and a home to several dachas of the Tbilisite families....
)
20th Cadre Brigade (Senaki
Senaki
Senaki is a town in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, western Georgia. It is located at around .From 1935 to 1976 it was called Tskhakaya in honor of the Georgian Bolshevik revolutionary leader Mikhail Tskhakaya....
)
30th Cadre Brigade (Mukhrovani
Mukhrovani
Mukhrovani is a village in Kakheti, Georgia, within which is a military base involved in the 2009 Georgian troop mutiny and an earlier mutiny by 60 soldiers on December 20, 2004...
)
50th Cadre Brigade (Telavi
Telavi
Telavi is the main city and administrative center of Georgia's eastern province of Kakheti. Its population consists of some 21,800 inhabitants . The city is located on foot-hills of Tsiv-Gombori Range at 500-800 meters above the sea level....
)
Active Cadre Brigades are being properly trained and prepared for emergency and wartime situations by the National Guard and the Land Forces. The professional main core of the Reserve Forces in times of crisis and war consists of five active and fully operational Cadre Brigades with additional regional division headquarters. These combat formations consisting of only volunteers will reinforce the regular army in its activities when short on personnel or even directly support engagements.
Further on, the so called "Rally Points" of the regional divisional headquarters allow the Georgian government to mobilize and arm national reserve units of division strength in a matter of days if a war brakes out. Approximately around 100.000 citizens of Georgia would be mobilized in such a case. The in comparison to the Land Forces and National Guard rather poorly equipped reserve has not much access to mobility providing options like armour and in general tracked or wheeled vehicles, but trucks. In addition, there is also a limited choice of small arms, mostly of soviet origin. The National Guard department guarantees adequate supply of equipment and arms if the situation affords it, including uniformsm, ballistic vests and equipement. The uniforms are customarily identical with those of the Land Forces. Reserve units may have access to the few still operational T-55
T-55
The T-54 and T-55 tanks were a series of main battle tanks designed in the Soviet Union. The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945, just before the end of the Second World War. The T-54 entered full production in 1947 and became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army, armies of...
AM2 medium tanks of the pre-1990-2005 Georgian Army.
List of weapons used by the Reserve as of 2007:
- AK-47AK-47The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
- AKMAKMThe AKM is a 7.62mm assault rifle designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is an upgraded version of the AK-47 rifle and was developed in the 1950s....
- AK-74AK-74The AK-74 is an assault rifle developed in the early 1970s in the Soviet Union as the replacement for the earlier AKM...
- Dragunov SVD
- RPKRPKThe RPK is a 7.62x39mm light machine gun of Soviet design, developed by Mikhail Kalashnikov in the late 1950s, parallel with the AKM assault/battle rifle...
- PKMPK machine gunThe PK is a 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun designed in the Soviet Union and currently in production in Russia. The PK machine gun was introduced in the 1960s and replaced the SGM and RPD machine guns in Soviet service...
- AGS-17AGS-17The AGS-17 Plamya is a Soviet-designed automatic grenade launcher currently in production in the Russian Federation and in service worldwide.-Description:...
- RPG-7RPG-7The RPG-7 is a widely-produced, portable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Originally the RPG-7 and its predecessor, the RPG-2, were designed by the Soviet Union, and now manufactured by the Bazalt company...
- SPG-9SPG-9The SPG-9 Kopye is a Russian tripod-mounted man-portable, 73 millimetre calibre recoilless gun developed by the Soviet Union. It fires fin-stabilised, rocket-assisted HE and HEAT projectiles similar to those fired by the 73 mm 2A28 Grom low pressure gun of the BMP-1 vehicle...
International cooperation
Georgian Armed Forces have been participating in peacekeeping missions (the BalkansBalkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
) since 1999.
Units participating in peacekeeping missions are manned by professional soldiers, the duration of the mission is six months and participation is voluntary. The readiness assessment criteria are, as follows: health condition, physical fitness, professional skills and experience.
Peacekeeping missions
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 (ISAFInternational Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
). From 2004 in Iraq were 300 Georgian troops. From 2005 approximately 850 troops were serving under Coalition Command (OIF and UNAMI
United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq is an entity that was formed by the United Nations in Security Council Resolution 1500 on 14 August 2003.-Mandate:...
). On July 2007 Georgia sent an extra 1,400 troops to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
; that brought the total number of troops in Iraq to 2,000. On August 8, 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
Peacekeeping
Peacekeeping is an activity that aims to create the conditions for lasting peace. It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....
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 975 Georgian combat troops deployed in Helmand, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
where Georgia has thus far suffered 10 deaths and 38 injuries.
Bases
| Name | Location |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Defense Headquarters | Tbilisi Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... |
| Vaziani Military Base Vaziani Military Base The Vaziani Military Base is located about twenty kilometers outside Tbilisi at Latitude 41.6947 Longitude 45.0467, Georgia. The main base is spread over 10,000 hectares.... |
near Tbilisi Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... |
| Krtsanisi Military Base Krtsanisi National Training Centre The Krtsanisi National Training Centre is a major training facility for the military of Georgia, located at the Krtsanisi settlement, outside Georgia’s capital city of Tbilisi, at the foothills of the Iaghluja mountainous range. It is operated by the Georgian Armed Forces Joint Staff Military... |
near Tbilisi Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... |
| Akhalkalaki Military Base | Akhalkalaki Akhalkalaki Akhalkalaki is a small city in Georgia's southern region of Samtskhe-Javakheti with a population of 60,975. Akhalkalaki lies on the edge of the Javakheti Volcanic Plateau. The city is located about 30 km from the border with Turkey. 90 percent of the city's population are ethnic Armenians... |
| Alekseevka Airbase | near Tbilisi Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... |
| Marneuli Airbase | Marneuli Marneuli Marneuli is a small city in the Kvemo Kartli region of southern Georgia and administrative center of Marneuli District that borders neighboring Azerbaijan and Armenia.-Population:... |
| Bolnisi Airbase | near Tbilisi Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... |
| Gori Military Base | near Gori Gori, Georgia Gori is a city in eastern Georgia, which serves as the regional capital of Shida Kartli and the centre of the homonymous administrative district. The name is from Georgian gora , that is, "heap", or "hill"... |
| Senaki Military Base | Senaki Senaki Senaki is a town in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, western Georgia. It is located at around .From 1935 to 1976 it was called Tskhakaya in honor of the Georgian Bolshevik revolutionary leader Mikhail Tskhakaya.... |
| Poti naval base | Poti Poti Poti is a port city in Georgia, located on the eastern Black Sea coast in the region of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti in the west of the country. Built near the site of the ancient Greek colony of Phasis, the city has become a major port city and industrial center since the early 20th century. It is also... |
| Mukhrovani Military Base | Mukhrovani Mukhrovani Mukhrovani is a village in Kakheti, Georgia, within which is a military base involved in the 2009 Georgian troop mutiny and an earlier mutiny by 60 soldiers on December 20, 2004... |
| Kutaisi Military Base | Kutaisi Kutaisi Kutaisi is Georgia's second largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti. It is 221 km to the west of Tbilisi.-Geography:... |
| Khelvachauri Military Base | Khelvachauri Khelvachauri Khelvachauri is a small town in Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia, 8 km southeast to the regional capital Batumi. The towns of Khelvachauri and Makhinjauri, and adjoining 75 villages form Khelvachauri District bordered by the Black Sea to the west and Turkey to the south... |
| Khoni Military Base | Khoni Khoni Khoni is a town in the Western Georgian region of Imereti with the population of 11,300 . It is situated on the left bank of the Tskhenistkali River in the north-west of Imereti, close to the border with the region of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti and 266 km west of Georgia's capital Tbilisi. The town... |
| Batumi naval base | Batumi Batumi Batumi is a seaside city on the Black Sea coast and capital of Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia. Sometimes considered Georgia's second capital, with a population of 121,806 , Batumi serves as an important port and a commercial center. It is situated in a subtropical zone, rich in... |
External links
- Ministry of Defense of Georgia: The Strategic Defence Review 2007. mod.gov.ge. Accessed on May 7, 2008.
- GlobalSecurity.org on Georgia’s military
- Ministry of the defence of Georgia: Armed Forces of Georgia. Accessed on March 6, 2009.
- Military Heraldry of Georgian Armed Forces.