TBILISI. Aug 29 (Interfax-AVN) - The training of the Kommando battalion started at the Georgian Defense Ministry's Yalgudzha proving range near Tbilisi.
"The exercises supervised by the U.S. military instructors will demonstrate real combat capabilities of each of the battalion's 400 enlistees and officers and their readiness for the anti-terrorist forces program," a source at the ministry told Interfax-Military News Agency on Thursday.
Exercise plan envisions such training scenarios as battalion on the offensive, defense organization at night. The exercise is to involve U.S. Iroquois helicopters gifted to Georgia in 2001.
According to the source, "the war-games mark the third phase of Pentagon-funded anti-terror training and equipment program in Georgia led by the U.S. military instructors."
He said third phase goals were to be attained within three months. "All planned tactical training of the Kommando battalion personnel will be provided by the U.S. rangers," he said.
The Kommando special-purpose battalion is the first of four units manned with contract-service soldiers.
In general the U.S. military-led Train and Equip program in Georgia's army provides for training four anti-terror units: a Kommando battalion, Kodzhori quick response battalion, Sachkheri mountain rifle battalion and a motorized rifle battalion of 11th brigade stationed in Vaziani.
A total number of some 2,000 soldiers shall be trained under the auspices of the Train and Equip program financed by the United States and estimated at USD64m.