TBILISI. Nov 17 (Interfax-AVN) - Georgia will establish the Air Defense Central Command Post in early 2005, Brigadier General Amiran Salukvadze, Georgian Air Defense commander, told Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday.
"A corresponding project has already been worked out, and the Central Command Post is expected to become operational within the next three months," he said.
He also noted that Georgia had recently started paying more attention to controlling its airspace. "The project of establishing an own Airspace Control Center has been worked out, with the latter to become the first step towards the goal," Salukvadze said.
According to him, the project is a long-term one, which comprises several stages, while the tasks have been set only until 2008. "The main objective is for the whole system to comply with NATO standards," Salukvadze emphasized.
He noted that the Kulevi firing range outside Poti would host a four-day tactical exercise of the Air Defense Forces in late November. "The exercise is expected to involve four SU-25 Frogfoot attack aircraft, two MI-24 Hind helicopters, and required maintenance materiel," Salukvadze said.
In the Soviet times the Georgian airspace was monitored by the 19th Detached Air Defense Army. Georgia has recently restored an S-124 air defense system and is going to test it in the near future.