Georgian Defence Minister outlines 10-year development plan based on 5 priorities
Defence Minister said that the plan is based on threats that Georgia may face in 2030 and the goal is to ensure the consistent and continuous development of the Georgian army in order to obtain high combat capability to cope with the challenges facing Georgia as well as to contribute to global security. Photo: President's press office.
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Georgian Defence Minister Juansher Burchuladze has presented a 10-year economic development plan which covers five major priorities: anti-armour, air, artillery, reconnaissance and engineering capabilities.
Burchuladze said that the plan is based on threats that Georgia may face in 2030 and the goal is to ensure the consistent and continuous development of the Georgian army in order to obtain high combat capability to cope with the challenges facing Georgia as well as to contribute to global security.
The 10-year plan includes:
- Purchase of an additional batch of anti-tank Javelin missiles from the United States in 2021
- Start of production of small and large unmanned aerial vehicles on the base of Georgia's State Military Scientific Technical Centre Delta from 2022 - negotiations are underway to set up a joint venture with South African and Polish companies
- Develop artillery capabilities intensively from 2024. The plan includes the development of Georgian-made mortars, as well as to purchase foreign-made artillery units
- Enhance engineering capabilities in 2022-2027 thus develop mobility and countermeasures
- Complete renovation of the Vaziani, Senaki, Krtsanisi, Kutaisi, Gori, cadet corps and artillery bases
- Complete construction of residential blocks on Makhata Mount in the capital city of Tbilisi by the end of 2022 and present flats to 1,050 servicemembers
- Create a legislation under which the state will undertake the obligation to provide flats to all high-ranking military staff and a guaranteed increase in salaries
Purchase of an additional batch of anti-tank Javelin missiles from the United States in 2021 is part of the 10-year development plan. Photo: Ministry of Defence.
Burchuladze said that in general, 'we will be able to replace the existing Soviet weapons systems with modern weapons systems' that meet the requirements of the Defence Forces.
In his presentation Burchuladze also spoke about the threats that Georgia may face.
Russia is expected to continue its hybrid actions, including the process of 'borderisation', cyberattacks, propaganda and disinformation to shake the national consensus in Georgia and to discredit the pro-Western course in society. Russia will try to weaken the role and influence of the United States, NATO and the European Union in global politics as well", he said.
He added that the main challenge to local security remains the possibility of military aggression by Russia, as well as the absence of formal international security guarantees in the event of military aggression.
In addition, Burchuladze said that the major regional security challenge is Russia's attempts to return its neighbours, including the South Caucasus, to its own political orbit, or at least to prevent their integration with the West.