TBILISI. Feb 11 (Interfax) - Some units of the Georgian Defense Forces are being armed with United States-made 12.7-mm M2 machineguns and Mk 19 automatic grenade launchers, the Georgian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
"The Georgian Defense Forces have also been provided with 5.56-mm M249 light machine guns," it said.
Arming the Georgian Defense Forces with weapons complying with NATO standards is aimed at improving their interoperability with their partners and enhancing the Defense Forces' capability, it said.
Defense Minister Irakli Garibashvili said at parliamentary hearings in late December 2020 that the ministry would be focused on procuring modern weapons, including reconnaissance and combat unmanned aerial vehicles, in 2021.
Georgia planned to spend over 200 million lari (over $61 million), including a grant from the U.S., on new weapons on the whole, which is consistent with the NATO-recommended level of 20% of the national defense budget, Garibashvili said at the time.
He also said Georgia's defense policy would be targeted at enhancing compatibility with NATO to eventually join the alliance and broaden cooperation with the U.S.