GEORGIA SCALES UP HELICOPTER FORCE
By Yurii RAIKHEL
No.38, Thursday, 21 2012
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.
http://www.day.kiev.ua/230297