Noble Partner 2017: US armoured vehicles move from West to East Georgia, stop at locations

US armoured fighting vehicles ‘Stryker’ are moving from Georgia’s western regions to the Vaziani Military air base outside capital Tbilisi, to participate in the large-scale Noble Partner 2017 exercises being held in Georgia between July 30 and August 12.

US soldiers on their way to Tbilisi. Photo by Ministry of Defence press office. 

The motorcade of vehicles started from Senaki in the western region of Georgia, and on their way to Tbilisi stopped in Kutaisi, the second largest city of Georgia in the country’s west, and in the eastern Khashuri area.

US soldiers in Khashuri. Photo by  Khashuri Municipality Governor's Office press department. 

The Motorcade will have to pass the Gori municipality, in the heart of Georgia, several kilometers far from the occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region, where Russian occupant forces are stationed.  

• Uniting under the banner of the exercise’s motto ‘Strength through Partnership,’ more than 2,800 service members from Georgia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Ukraine, Turkey, Slovenia, and Armenia are participating in the drills focused on improving defence and attack skills.

The US armoured fighting vehicle ‘Stryker’ and German armoured fighting vehicle ‘Boxer’ are involved in the first training.

US soldiers in Kutaisi. Photo by Kutaisi Mayor's Office. 

• The drills will further involve a T-72 main battle tank, BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle, self-propelled howitzer DANA and armoured personnel carrier Didgori of the Georgian Armed Forces, the US main battle tank M1 Abrams, Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and C-130 aircraft.

Photo by Ministry of Defence press office. 

Noble Partner 2017 aims to improve skills in stability and combat operations, increase the interoperability of the United States, Great Britain, Georgia and partner countries, increase combat capabilities of the NATO Response Force (NRF) and the interoperability of its units.