Georgian anti-air defences, air assets to get upgrades after deals with Israeli companies

Anti-aircraft defences of the Georgian Defence Forces will undergo a "complete rehabilitation and modernisation", while air assets will also be upgraded, in deals between the Ministry of Defence of Georgia and Israeli defence technology companies.

In agreements unveiled by the defence ministry on Friday, the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems company will work with the GDF to bring anti-air assets up to required standards, with personnel crewing the systems will also be re-trained.

Meanwhile, Elbit Systems, another internationally recognised Israeli company specialising in arms technology, will use their expertise to upgrade electronic systems of air assets of the Georgian armed forces.

The deal is aimed at bringing fixed-wing and helicopter fleet of the GDF up to NATO standards as part of an initiative announced by defence minister Irakli Garibashvili earlier this summer.

The Georgian ministry has already sent some aircraft of the armed forces for a thorough repair and update to factories of the local Tbilaviamsheni company, with assets such as Su-25 ground attack aircraft, L-39 jets, Mi-24 attack helicopters and UH-1 utility helicopters set to undergo the programme.