Georgian Air Force

The Georgian Air Force (საქართველოს საჰაერო ძალები, sak’art’velos sahaero dzalebi) was an air arm of the Georgian Armed Forces from its establishment in 1992 until 2010, when it was incorporated into the Georgian Land Forces. As of September 2009, the Georgian Air Force had 2,971 military and civilian personnel.

History
The Georgian Air Force and Air Defense Division was established on January 1, 1992. On August 18, 1998, the two divisions were unified in a joint command structure and renamed the Georgian Air Force.

The first combat flight was conducted by Izani Tsertsvadze and Valeri Nakopia on September 19, 1992, during the separatist war in Abkhazia. This date was later designated as the Georgian Air Force Day. Relative to the Georgian ground forces, the air force was comparatively underfunded following Georgian independence. During the August 2008 war with Russia, Georgian aircraft were initially active, but were soon grounded by Russian air superiority. The Russians claimed at least 3 Su-25 and 2 L-29 destroyed.. The Georgian Ministry of Defense reported 5 air force personnel were killed in action.

In 2010, the Georgian Air Force was reorganized. It was abolished as a separate branch and incorporated into the Georgian Land Forces as Air and Air Defense brigades.

Mission and objectives
The objectives of the Georgian Air Force are defined as follows:
 * Warfare and mobilization readiness of the Air Forces sub-units
 * Protection of sovereignty and control of the air space of Georgia
 * The fight against air terrorism
 * Participate in the fight against terrorism on land and at sea
 * Air defence of state entities and troops
 * Destruction of land and naval targets at the enemy's front line and tactical inmost. Providing air support for friendly land and naval forces
 * Participation in collective and multinational exercises.

Functions of the Georgian Air Forces:
 * Troop and cargo transportation
 * Search and rescue of downed aircraft and pilots
 * MEDEVAC
 * Informing the leadership of the Air Force and the Army about enemy air assaults
 * Destruction of enemy manpower, land and naval targets
 * Air forces landing
 * Aerial reconnaissance

The two major airfields are located near Tbilisi at Alekseevka and Marneuli.