Georgian Defence Force units to "completely" update arms to NATO standards
Beside obtaining modern, NATO-standard arms for troops, the Ministry of Defence is working with local producers like Delta and Tbilaviamsheni to restore hardware to operational status, Minister Garibashvili told MPs. Photo via Ministry of Defence of Georgia.
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Georgian Defence Forces units will replace their aging hardware and arms for modern, NATO-standard models in an overhaul taking place this year, Minister of Defence Irakli Garibashvili told the parliament earlier today.
Garibashvili was delivering reports on his ministry's work to MPs within the 'Minister's Hour' format the legislative body has adopted for hearing from government members and said the MoD was planning to update both land- and air forces.
The minister said a need to update decades-old hardware had been demonstrated during their recent efforts in battling the COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia, a subject he raised earlier this month.
Our army is having to use [...] 20 to 30-year old vehicles for transportation, which [...] is behind standards. Our plan is to purchase 480 special vehicles this year," Garibashvili revealed in his parliament address.
Also within these plans the MoD will work to fully equip all regular units with M4 rifles - a modern, American-designed weapon used by GDF partner units in the United States Army and Marine Corps. Garibashvili said alongside M4s the units would be completely equipped with "modern NATO-standard weaponry" in other areas.
A restoration of air force assets to operational status is also in the works, with a collaboration between Tbilaviamsheni and Delta companies resulting in rehabilitation and modernisation of assets such as Su-25 ground attack aircraft and helicopters used by the military.
The United States Department of Defence has signed a contract with Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Javelin Joint Venture on the production of the Javelin anti-tank missile systems for a number of countries, including Georgia. The Javelin Joint Venture will perform the works in Tucson, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of June 25, 2020.
Georgia today is a worthy, strategic partner of NATO, a reliable ally and the most compatible aspirant to the organisation in the region, said Georgian Defence Minister Irakli Gharibashvili earlier today.
The Ministry of Defence of Georgia will obtain NATO-standard hardware to replace some of the current equipment used by the Georgian Defence Forces, with the replacement necessitated by challenges demonstrated during COVID-19 lockdown efforts by the troops.
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Air assets from the arsenal of the Georgian Defence Forces is undergoing major repair and update efforts, with both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters being brought back into the order.
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In a latest round of upgrading their equipment to NATO-standard arms, the Georgian Defence Forces have received American-made machine guns and grenade launchers, the Ministry of Defence of Georgia announced on Thursday.
Georgian defence industry will join forces with Israeli partners to produce M4 rifles while also being in talks with Polish and South African companies to launch joint production of unmanned aerial vehicles - in addition to planning procurement of a further batch of Javelin anti-tank systems from the United States and anti-air missile systems from an Israeli company.
Georgian Defence Forces bases across the country will soon enjoy NATO-standard infrastructure, minister Juansher Burchuladze announced on Thursday in his presentation of the ministry's 10-year action plan.