Annual Multinational Exercise Starts in Georgia

U.S. and Georgia-led fifth Noble Partner military exercise started on September 7 at the Vaziani Military Airfield, south of Tbilisi, the country’s capital.

The key purpose of the multinational military exercise, which brings together over 2,700 military personnel from Georgia, the U.S., the UK, Poland, and France from September 7 to September 18, is to enhance cooperation and interoperability between the participating nations. The training includes command, staff, field, and live-fire exercises combined with mechanized maneuvers.

As part of the military exercise, American military equipment was ferried from Romania to Georgia’s Black Sea port of Poti with the Ocean Freedom ship. The equipment included Stryker and Hammer infantry carrier vehicles, and nine convoys of logistical support vehicles and artillery.

In demonstrating Georgian-American partnership, the Noble Partner 2020 American military vehicle convoy, decorated with Georgian and American flags, marched from the Senaki military base to Vaziani. The vehicles slowed their pace as they marched through the center of Gori, which was particularly affected in the 2008 Russo-Georgian war.

Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia and Defense Minister Irakli Garibashvili led the official opening ceremony. Both commended the pivotal role of the exercise in enhancing the readiness of Georgian defense forces and thanked other participating nations for their contribution.

“We must all understand that this is another clear example of support from our strategic partner and of our mutual goals”, PM Gakharia said during the opening. The Prime Minister highlighted that increasing interoperability between Georgian and NATO Member State militaries is crucial in achieving Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations.

Defence Minister Garibashvili stated the training would “not only allow Georgia to fulfill its national defense goals, but also turn Georgia into an important contributor in ensuring regional and global security.”

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)