“Agile Spirit 2023” Exercise kicks off in Georgia

Georgia’s Defense Minister has announced that the country is hosting an “Agile Spirit 2023” multinational exercise for the eleventh time.

On August 21, Commander of the Georgian Defense Forces, Maj.-Gen. Giorgi Matiashvili and Deputy Minister of Defense Grigol Giorgadze welcomed the participants from 22 countries at the official opening, held at the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Center (JTEC). The exercise will end on September 1.

According to information provided to Civil.ge by the Ministry of Defense, the exercise will be led by the Western Command of the Georgian Defense Forces. Agile Spirit 2023 is different, distinctive and large-scale compared to previous exercises. The exercise area includes both eastern and western Georgia. This year, 22 NATO member and partner countries, 3 organizations and 3,600 military personnel are participating, including Jordan for the first time. The countries participating in the exercise are: Georgia, the United States, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Jordan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Japan. And the participating organizations are Multinational Division – Southeast (MND-SE), Lithuania-Poland-Ukraine Brigade (LITPOLUKR Brigade) and NATO Multinational Military Police Battalion (MNMPBAT NATO). This year, Agile Spirit 2023 acquired the status of an interagency training, as the Special Operations Forces Battalion – West will conduct a combined training with the units of NATO member states together with the Coast Guard Boarding Teams of the Border Protection Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia in Poti, Kolkheti National Reserve. In addition, Agile Spirit 2023 will for the first time evaluate the Multinational Special Operations Land Task Force (GEO-POL MNSOLTG), which will participate in the 2024 NATO Response Force (NRF) rotation.

Agile Spirit 2023 is designed to increase interoperability at the tactical level between the Georgian Defense Forces, U.S. Joint Forces, and allied and partner forces to refine and strengthen operational capabilities during the planning and execution of operations in a multinational environment.

U.S. DoD Reports on Details

According to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Approximately 1,200 troops are from the United States.

The U.S. DoD says the brigade-level exercise will feature field training, live-fire demonstrations, and various response scenarios to simulate a realistic combat training environment. Critical training for the exercise reportedly includes a brigade-level command post exercise with NATO Multinational Division Southeast, a brigade-level field training exercise, and a “combined battalion-level joint forcible entry into Turkey featuring the 173rd Airborne Brigade.” The exercise also features unit-level training to include battalion live-fire and field training exercises, combined special forces operations, combined medical and protection training, and other live-fire exercises.

Also Read:

• 06/08/2021 – Agile Spirit Drills Wrapped Up in Georgia

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