NATO tests Georgia’s best in Tbilisi (VIDEO)

The Georgian Armed Forces are fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with militaries from NATO member and partner countries in a special training exercise in Tbilisi.

A special YouTube report by Jeff Holden from NATOchannel.tv outlined the mission and detailed the importance of Georgia’s contribution to NATO missions, despite it not being a member nation.

"According to the pre-dawn brief, the enemy was a platoon-sized unit of infiltrators who intended to damage an oil refinery. This is an apt scenario for two reasons; first, Georgian forces do face the real world threat of hybrid warfare along their borders, and second oil, especially its transport through major pipelines, is important to Georgia’s economy.”

The Georgian infantry company has belonged to the NATO Response Force (or NRF) since January 2015, and this testing exercise, overseen by NATO monitors, was one of several that is part of the ongoing certification program required of all NRF participating countries.

Captain David Gabadveda said being part of the NATO Response Force "makes our country stronger”.

We are [the] first company in the Georgian Armed Forces who was assigned to the NATO Response Force and each of us – my whole company – are proud of that.”

Although Georgia is not a NATO member it is a strong and proven NATO partner that aspires to membership, said Holden.

The Georgian soldiers have served in NATO combat missions including the International Security Assistance Force (or ISAF mission) in Afghanistan. The country has again proved its allegiance to NATO and is the second largest contributor after the United States to the new NATO train and assist mission in Afghanistan, called Resolute Support.

In response to Georgia’s profound contributions, the US, NATO, NATO partners and allies have converged on Tbilisi for a separate exercise called Agile Spirit, to strengthen coordination with Georgian forces.

Exercise Agile Spirit is NATO delivering on its promise made at the Wales Summit last year to strengthen ties with Georgia, said Holden.

Watch the full video below: