Georgia-US discuss possibility of building a military aerodrome in Vaziani, near Tbilisi
The Georgian Prime Minister spoke about the future role of the new aerodrome in joint, international drills.Photo: Defence Ministry press office.
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US General Steve Lyons, a commander of the United States Transportation Command and Georgian Defence Minister Levan Izoria have discussed the possibility of joint development of Vaziani military aerodrome infrastructure.
The Ministry of Defence told Agenda.ge that funds for the new aerodrome will be allocated both from the US and Georgia budgets. No further details have been announced yet.
Georgian PM Mamuka Bakhtadze met with US General Steve Lyons at the administration building of the government of Georgia. Photo: Prime Minister's press office.
Georgian Defence Minister Levan Izoria stated that the new aerodrome will support the initiative of the NATO-Georgia Commission-the creation of the new readiness centre [in Georgia].
Izoria and Lyons discussed Georgia-US strategic cooperation and implementation of the joint “ambitious project”- the Georgian Defence Readiness Program.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze, who also met with Lyons, stated that the new aerodrome will provide higher opportunities for local and international military trainings in Georgia.
Bakhtadze praised the US role for supporting Georgia’s defence field.
Georgia Defense Readiness Program is designed and executed by the US and the Georgian Armed Forces. The programme intends to support Georgian Armed Forces training and evaluation of infantry and to increase the defense capabilities of the Georgian military units for territorial defense, the Georgian Defence Ministry reports.
The active phase of GDRP will be completed in 2021.
Georgia’s armed forces now boast the first unit trained within their "most ambitious program”, as officials and military commanders celebrated the graduation of the first battalion of the Georgia Defence Readiness Program earlier today.
The Georgian Defence Minister Levan Izoroia has announced the launch of the "most ambitious” US-Georgia project-Georgia’s Defence Readiness Program (GDRP), which will be carried out with the United States over the course of three years to boost the country’s self-defence capabilities.The trainings will take place at the NATO standards Combat Training Center (CTC) built in Vaziani, in the outskirts of Tbilisi, which was officially opened today.
Troops and military hardware from NATO member states and Georgia’s allies have arrived in the country’s Black Sea port of Poti, a week before the multinational defence exercise Noble Partner kicks off outside the capital of Tbilisi.
A new military training zone where tanks and other armoured vehicles can test their capabilities has opened in Georgia.
Georgia and the United States will sign a three-year agreement in the autumn in the defence field, which will strengthen the country’s defence capabilities and speed up Georgia’s NATO integration, the Georgian Defence Ministry reports.
Georgian Defence Minister Levan Izoria says that US-Georgia cooperation is at an all-time high, especially in the defence field, and “in the future we only welcome American bases in Georgia”, he told Voice of America.