The Aviation and Air Defence Command of the Defence Forces ( ka, თავდაცვის ძალების ავიაციისა და საჰაერო თავდაცვის სარდლობა, tr), (''formerly'' Georgian Air Force (, ''sak’art’velos sahaero dzalebi'')) is the

air force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ...

of the Defense Forces of Georgia. It was established as part of the Georgian Armed Forces in 1992 and merged into Army Air Section in 2010. As part of reforms in the Georgian military, the Air Force was reestablished as a separate command of the Defense Forces in 2016.

History

Founding and abolition

The Georgian Air Force and Air Defense Division was established on January 1, 1992. On August 18, 1998, the two divisions were unified in a joint command structure and renamed the Georgian Air Force.''Defence Today'' 27: 1. September 2009
Accessed February 10, 2012. The first combat flight was conducted by Izani Tsertsvadze and Valeri Nakopia on September 19, 1992, during the separatist war in Abkhazia. This date was later designated as the Georgian Air Force Day. In 2010, the Georgian Air Force was abolished as a separate branch and incorporated into the Georgian Land Forces as Air and Air Defense sections.

Reestablishment and modernization

The Georgian Air Force was formally re-established in 2016 but all fixed wing aircraft were left abandoned till 2020. Under the leadership of Georgian Minister of Defense Irakli Garibashvili the Air Force was re-prioritized and aircraft owned by the Georgian Air Force are being modernized and re-serviced after they were left abandoned for 4 years. The Minister of Defense also announced plans to acquire strike drones to increase Georgia's combat readiness.

Ranks

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and

enlisted personnel An enlisted rank (also known as an enlisted grade or enlisted rate) is, in some armed services, any rank below that of a commissioned officer. The term can be inclusive of non-commissioned officers or warrant officers, except in United States mi ...

Mission and objectives

The objectives of the Georgian Air Force are defined as follows: * Warfare and mobilization readiness of the Air Forces sub-units * Protection of sovereignty and control of the air space of Georgia * The fight against air terrorism * Participate in the fight against terrorism on land and at sea * Air defence of state entities and troops * Destruction of land and naval targets at the enemy's front line and tactical inmost. Providing air support for friendly land and naval forces * Participation in collective and multinational exercises. Functions of the Georgian Air Forces: * Troop and cargo transportation * Search and rescue of downed aircraft and pilots *

MEDEVAC Medical evacuation, often shortened to medevac or medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to wounded being evacuated from a battlefield, to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of a ...

* Informing the leadership of the Air Force and the Army about enemy air assaults * Destruction of enemy manpower, land and naval targets * Air forces landing * Aerial reconnaissance The two major airfields are located near

Tbilisi Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Kura River with a population of approximately 1.5 million p ...

at Vaziani and

Marneuli Marneuli ( ka, მარნეული , az, Sarvan) is a town in the Kvemo Kartli region of southern Georgia and administrative center of Marneuli Municipality that borders neighboring Azerbaijan and Armenia. Toponymy According to Georgian so ...

Current inventory

References

{{Authority control Air forces by country Military of Georgia (country) Military units and formations established in 1991 Military units and formations disestablished in 2010 1991 establishments in Georgia (country) Military units and formations established in 2016 2010 disestablishments in Georgia (country) 2016 establishments in Georgia (country)