Georgia: Military Upgrade Courts the West

A seemingly mundane but potentially controversial plan by the Georgian military to renovate its aging helicopter fleet has put the spotlight on the small but strategic country and its delicate balance between Russia and the West. During a news conference Dec. 27, 2013, Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Alasania announced that Georgia would completely phase out its Soviet-era helicopters and replace them with Western models from the United States and possibly France. 

This is not the first time Georgia has looked to the West to renovate its helicopter fleet, but phasing out the fleet entirely, not to mention other possible procurements, will create suspicion in Moscow. The prospect of such an overhaul faces considerable obstacles, but if Tbilisi actually follows through on it, it could create more friction between Georgia and Russia on security issues.