*Sources: DTN News / Defense Media
(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - June 24, 2009: Georgia plans to send about 500 soldiers to Afghanistan next year to bolster the force led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a U.S. defense official said Monday. 
The main arm of the military of Georgia is the Georgian Land Force which is based on brigade size military units. The branch has 5 infantry, 2 artillery and 1 engineering brigade; 2 tank battalions and 6 support service battalions. The strength of Land Forces is 22 999 from which 2 382 are officers, 20 598 sergeants and corporals (contracting) and 16 civilians. The ground arm is equipped with various weapons systems and army branches.
Georgia, which wants to join the NATO alliance over objections from Russia, will deploy "the equivalent of a battalion" in Afghanistan in 2010, the U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP.
Close to 90,000 foreign forces, most of them U.S. troops, are stationed in Afghanistan, fighting an increasingly bloody insurgency being waged by the Taliban and its allies.
Insurgent attacks have reached record highs in recent weeks in Afghanistan, raising concerns about security ahead of the country's second-ever presidential elections, scheduled in two months.
About 2,000 Georgian troops were deployed in Iraq from August 2003 but were rushed back to Georgia in August last year, amid a battle with Russian forces over South Ossetia.
News of Georgia's plans came as the White House said US Vice President Joe Biden was due travel to Georgia and Ukraine between July 20 and 24.
The main arm of the military of Georgia is the Georgian Land Force which is based on brigade size military units. The branch has 5 infantry, 2 artillery and 1 engineering brigade; 2 tank battalions and 6 support service battalions. The strength of Land Forces is 22 999 from which 2 382 are officers, 20 598 sergeants and corporals (contracting) and 16 civilians. The ground arm is equipped with various weapons systems and army branches.
Georgia, which wants to join the NATO alliance over objections from Russia, will deploy "the equivalent of a battalion" in Afghanistan in 2010, the U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP.
Close to 90,000 foreign forces, most of them U.S. troops, are stationed in Afghanistan, fighting an increasingly bloody insurgency being waged by the Taliban and its allies.
Insurgent attacks have reached record highs in recent weeks in Afghanistan, raising concerns about security ahead of the country's second-ever presidential elections, scheduled in two months.
About 2,000 Georgian troops were deployed in Iraq from August 2003 but were rushed back to Georgia in August last year, amid a battle with Russian forces over South Ossetia.
News of Georgia's plans came as the White House said US Vice President Joe Biden was due travel to Georgia and Ukraine between July 20 and 24. 
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