Georgia scales up helicopter force

During the visit of Hillary Clinton US Secretary of State to Georgia among other important issues there were discussed possibilities of military and technical cooperation. After Russia’s aggression in 2008 it has become the main component of national security for Tbilisi. We should not forget that the Russian military group is only a short distance away from the Georgian capital.

There is also an international dimension to it. It is known that tension has significantly increased on the contact line of Nagorno-Karabakh. Explosions and gunshots can be heard there and actions of Special Forces units have been reported in the region. Many experts and observers do not rule out a transition of the conflict into its hot phase. In this situation Armenia, which has been Russia’s ally, is in geographical isolation. Moscow is somewhat limited in providing possible assistance to this country because it has no common border with Yerevan. That is why a number of military experts in Moscow started talking about the possible breakthrough of Russian troops through the territory of Georgia. In any case, this can be expected through Georgian airspace.

That is why at the meeting of the bilateral working group, which was held in Batumi within the framework of the Charter on Strategic Partnership signed in January 2009, Georgia and the United States represented by the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton there were discussed possible variants of assisting Georgia in developing its surveillance of air, air defense, as well as surveillance in the shoreline zone. While this process will take on from analysis and evaluation to implementation in the following months the United States will consider the request made by Georgia for purchasing materials of defensive nature in addition to the training and assistance that has been already provided. This was reported in the document of the US Foreign Affairs Agency.

The document also mentions US willingness to assist in the modernization of the Georgian utility helicopters. Clinton said: “We will improve multipurpose helicopters of Georgia, so that they could transport goods and people across the country easier. We also intend to help Georgia to ensure training of officers, which is necessary in today’s changing environment.”

The reports on the US possible assistance to Georgia coincided in time with the news that after withdrawal of American and NATO troops from Afghanistan in 2014 all the military equipment will be granted at no cost to Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. According to sources close to the military departments of the Central Asian republics these will be armored vehicles, as well as trailers for transporting tanks, trucks, tankers, specialized graders, bulldozers, and water carriers. Besides, the Pentagon is ready to give medical equipment, communication and fire fighting equipment, and even portable gyms and other devices for military life to Afghanistan’s neighbors. It also became known that the US plans to deploy military equipment that was used in Afghanistan in Central Asia.

This act of charity is absolutely justified from a technical and economic point of view. Equipment has deteriorated greatly, is partially or completely worn out and it makes no sense to transport it for thousand miles, especially now, when US will soon put into service new models of military equipment.

But there is also another aspect. The equipment received at no cost will have to be repaired, maintained, and possibly upgraded. And it can only be done by American companies that supply weapons for their army. In any case, the US position in Central Asia will be strengthened. Besides, it will shake Russia’s monopoly for the supply of arms to countries in Central Asia, which is important both from military and political perspective. Especially since this has already happened in the South Caucasus. Georgia and Azerbaijan have adopted Western standards in arms, although the latter still purchases Russian military equipment in some quantities, but these supplies do not determine the general state of country’s arsenal. The only customer for Russian weapons in significant quantities in the region is Armenia. It purchases weapons on favorable terms or even for free.

It is interesting that Moscow strongly opposes the transfer of weapons used by American and NATO army to countries in Central Asia. Somehow it has a right to perform such charity acts towards Armenia but would not let anyone else do the same. Even though some of the countries in the regions are the members of the CSTO and have the right, just like Armenia, to get the same attitude. Perhaps Moscow doesn’t think like that and it ranks its allies according to some vague criteria.

The big neighbor of Ukraine also did not leave without attention the fact that Georgian military helicopters that were repaired in Ukraine have been sent to Tbilisi. Georgian Ambassador to Ukraine Grigol Katamadze reported that all the issues related to financing the repair works have been resolved. Ambassador said: “We continue our cooperation in military and technical spheres.”

Gela Bezhuashvili, Georgian Defense Minister said that the helicopters were sent for repair to Ukraine back in 1999. According to him, two ASW helicopters Mi-14 and three helicopters Mi-24 have been repaired so far. Repair of two Georgian helicopters Mi-2 has not been finished yet.

In this regard, one can say firmly that, despite the continuing successful military and technical cooperation between Ukraine and Azerbaijan, Ukraine has not been realizing its potential in arms sales and providing technical service to full capacity.

In this situation we can speak about the fact that Ukraine has not yet been able to overcome the complex of a “younger brother” in relation to the neighboring country. Recently we began hearing more about the restoration of cooperation ties of times of the Soviet military-industrial complex. On the other hand, clearly there is fear of making neighbors angry in any way. But it doesn’t make much sense. They do not hesitate to compete with their Ukrainian rivals on the weapons market. They are in no way limited by discussion of the brotherhood, common past, and frustrated cooperation. Instead they try to find ways to replace the import of weapons and accessories from Ukraine, but, to their regret, it never just works out the way they want.

And the last thing. In the not so clear economic and financial situation in the world the military and technical cooperation and arms sales could be of significant importance for Ukraine’s economy. Government need to be guided by this. Moreover, because even in the CIS arms market we can still make some good money. The examples of Georgia and Azerbaijan are a good proof of that.