Georgia, France ramp up air defence deal with new contract
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Georgia’s airspace will be increasingly protected over the next two years under an agreement with France that includes providing the Georgian Armed Forces with new air defence equipment and personnel training.
Minister of Defence of Georgia Levan Izoria told local reporters on Tuesday his office had signed a new air defence deal in the framework of ongoing cooperation with France.
The agreement involves increasing spending by the armed forces for training its service members to operate new anti-aircraft defence systems and purchasing the equipment itself from French companies.
A number of financial transactions have already been carried out, and we are entering the intensive phase of the agreement throughout 2017-2018, during which we will increase the spending [to] purchase an anti-air system ensuring global protection for our country”, said Izoria in his comments.
Izoria also stressed the importance of the air defence component for Georgia’s security, saying both land-based forces and prospective navy development would need air defence systems for achieving the goal.
He further told the media he would meet his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian in Paris next week to "go through further details” of the air defence agreement.
The Georgian defence ministry has been in air defence cooperation with the French since 2015, signing deals for ground-based surveillance radars and air defence command and control systems.
In his official visit to Georgia in September 2016 Le Drian said his office’s work with Georgian colleagues was aimed at helping Georgia "develop effective means of (ensuring) its air defence, which is central to its sovereignty.”
Minister of Defence of France Jean-Yves Le Drian has promised France will help Georgia strengthen the country’s ability to defend itself.
Georgia’s Minister of Defence Tinatin Khidasheli is in Paris, France to meet her French counterpart and discuss Georgia-France military relations.
Georgia’s Defence Minister Tinatin Khidasheli announced last night Georgia would create a special operational command for the country’s air forces, which combines aviation and air defence.
Georgia’s Ministry of Finance will take a loan of €82.82 million from the French Societe Generale. Of this money, €77.63 million will purchase the new air-defence systems while the remaining money would fund other risk management expenses.
Defence partnership between Georgia and France will be on the agenda for defence ministers of the two countries meeting in Paris over the next two days.
No Georgian citizens have been injured in last night’s attack in Paris but the Georgian Foreign Ministry has released hotline numbers for those who might need help.
The Georgian government has approved the Strategic Defence Review 2017-2020 – the guideline document for the Ministry of Defence that identifies main directions for the development of the MOD and Georgian Armed Forces.
This is a choice in support of a strong France, Europe
Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili and Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili have congratulated Emmanuel Macron on winning the French presidential election.
Georgia will sign a defence deal with Turkey and Azerbaijan within a ministerial event to be hosted in Batumi later this month, following a meeting of Georgian and Turkish defence ministers at a large-scale industry fair in Istanbul earlier today.
The Georgian Air Force celebrated its 25th anniversary today with awards to its personnel and a ceremony involving officials and military commanders in Tbilisi.
As part of the bilateral Georgian-French defence cooperation, Guepratte, a multi-mission frigate of the French Navy will make a stopover in the Black Sea coastal resort of Batumi in Georgia from November 22-25.
Georgian Defence Minister Levan Izoria stated at today’s hearing in the legislative body that Georgia meets NATO standards due to the reforms the Ministry has carried out.
Georgian Defence Minister will leave for France tomorrow to sign a new deal with the country for the purchase of air-defence systems. Izoria stated today that the Defence Ministry budget was increased by 20 per cent this year, which provides the opportunities to sign one more deal with France regarding the systems which will boost Georgia’s self-defense capabilities.
Minister of Defence of Georgia Levan Izoria has signed an agreement with his French colleague Florence Parly on the purchase of an air defence management and control system.
Georgia is introducing tighter restrictions on flying unmanned aircraft under the country’s sky.
The Ministry of Defence of Georgia has responded to rumours that the purchase of a French air defence system has been partially delayed because of the budget of the ministry which has been decreased by 75 million GEL.