Georgian Air Force საქართველოს სამხედრო-საჰაერო ძალები sak’art’velos samxedro-sahaero dzalebi
Georgian Air Force flag
Active	1991 -
Country	Georgia
Size	1,194 personnel ??? aircraft
Garrison/HQ	Alekseevka, Tbilisi
Engagements	Georgian Civil War, 2008 South Ossetia war
Commanders
Air Force Commander	Colonel Zurab Pochkhua
Insignia
Roundel
Aircraft flown
Attack	Su-25, Su-25 Skorpion, Mi-24, Mi-35
Trainer	Yak-52, L-39
Transport	An-2, Mi-8, UH-1

The Georgian Air Force is the air arm of the Georgian Armed Forces. Currently, it has 1,813 military and civilian personnel^[1], up to 22 fixed wing aircraft (Su-25KM/UB, L-39, Yak-52,) and 11 helicopters of different type (Mi-24, Mi-8, UH-1H, Mi-2) and 380 air defense missiles of the "surface-to-air' class. The Air Force was founded in 1991 in the wake of the break-up of the Soviet Union. In 1995 the Air Force had around 1,000 personnel and since that time it has had relatively modest growth compared to the Georgian Army which has had greater investment.^[2]

Contents 1 Mission and objectives 2 Structure 2.1 Equipment 2.2 Air Defence 3 Gallery 4 See also 5 References

[edit] Mission and objectives

The Georgian Air Force has the following objectives:

• To control and defend the air space of Georgia.
• To conduct air intelligence and surveillance.
• To provide support to the other branches of the Armed Forces.
• To conduct air evacuation and search and rescue operations.
• To conduct air movement of personnel and military cargo transportation.

[edit] Structure

Georgian Air Force Components Air Force Commander Air Defence Anti-aircraft rocket divisions Radar reconnaisannce batteries HQ Staff Central Command Point A1 to A5 components Aviation Aircraft Base (fixed wing) Helicopter Base

The Georgian Air Forces is controlled by a headquarters staff and is divided into two function elements of Aviation and Air Defence.^[3] The current commander of the Air Force (since 15 September 2008) is Colonel Zurab Pochkhua.^[4] Prior to that, from 21 March 2007 to 15 September 2008, the Air Force commander was Colonel David Nairashvili. He was preceded by Alan Lakoyev.^[5]

The two major airfields are located near Tbilisi at Alekseevka and Marneuli. The Georgian Air Force is currently undergoing a process of modernization with the help of Georgia’s NATO partners, specifically the United States and Turkey.

[edit] Equipment

Aircraft

•  ? Su-25KM,^[6] close air support aircraft
•  ? Su-25UB,^[6] trainer varient
•  ? Su-25KM Skorpion, Georgia-Israel Joint Development, enhanced avionics varient
•  ? Aero L-39 Albatros, jet trainer

Helicopters

•  ? Mi-35
•  ? Mi-24
•  ? Mi-14
•  ? Mi-8
•  ? Bell 212
•  ? UH-1H
•  ? Mi-2

[edit] Air Defence

• 18(?) SA-8
• ?? SA-7A/B Grail
• ?? SA-16 Gimlet
• ?? ZSU-23-4
• 1(?) Battery SPYDER
• ?? S-60
• 1(?) Battery Buk-m1
• 30(?) Grom man-portable air-defense system missile launchers with 100

missiles^[7]

[edit] Gallery

Mil Mi-24V attack helicopter no.09	Aero L-29 Delfin	Mil Mi-24V No.05	Georgian Bell UH-1H Iroquois
Mil Mi-14PS SAR helicopter	Mil Mi-8T transport helicopter	Georgian Sukhoi Su-25UB

[edit] See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Air force of Georgia

• Abkhazian Air Force
• 2008 Georgian spy plane shootdowns

[edit] References

v • d • e Air Forces in Europe Sovereign states Albania · Andorra · Armenia2 · Austria · Azerbaijan1 · Belarus · Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus2 · Czech Republic · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France1, 3 · Georgia1 · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Iceland · Ireland · Italy · Kazakhstan1 · Latvia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Republic of Macedonia · Malta · Moldova · Monaco · Montenegro · Netherlands3 · Norway3 · Poland · Portugal3 · Romania · Russia1 · San Marino · Serbia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain1 · Sweden · Switzerland · Turkey1 · Ukraine · United Kingdom3 1 Has part of its territory outside Europe.  2 Entirely in West Asia but having socio-political connections with Europe.  3 Has dependencies or similar territories outside Europe.