A two-week multinational military exercise Noble Partner 2018 has commenced at the Vaziani Airfield in Georgia.
This is the fourth iteration of the Noble Partner exercise and is being held under the leadership of Georgian Armed Forces and US Army Europe.
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In addition to Georgia and the US, other participants in the exercise are NATO member and partner countries, including the UK, Germany, France, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Norway, Turkey, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Armenia.
More than 3,000 military personnel are taking part in the exercise, which is aimed at enhancing the readiness and interoperability between the armed forces of Georgia, the US and partner countries.
The annual exercise is also intended to improve defensive and offensive capabilities and enhancing the ability to secure the Black Sea Region.
On the first day of Noble Partner 2018, a group comprising the Georgian, US and German personnel descended from the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and carried out an airborne operation that involved the elimination of the fictitious enemy by clearing bunker.
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By GlobalDataSome of the servicemen handled fire support, while the remaining personnel carried out the manoeuvre operation.
East Command commander brigadier general Shavlego Tabatadze is commanding the exercise, which involves command and staff and field exercises with live fire.
The 13-nation exercise will also involve coordination of the manoeuvre and combat support elements in defensive and offensive operations.
The opening ceremony was attended by Georgia President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze, and US Chargé d’Affaires Elizabeth Rood.
Other attendees include National Guard Bureau chief general Joseph Lengyel, and US Army Europe major general John Gronski.
