Only
one of the dozen Russian-made Sukhoi Su-25 jets has flown recently
because the supplier of parts - Russia - has declined to provide them to
Georgia.
Georgia's aircraft fleet was purchased before
its 2008 war with Russia, when the latter invaded its southern neighbour
ostensibly to come to the defence of separatist forces in
South-Ossetia. The two countries severed all diplomatic ties back then
and have yet to recommence them, although trade in some commodities has
been restarted. Those commodities, predictably, do not include
armaments, given how the only likely enemy Georgia would use such
deliveries against would be Russia.
Both Russia and Georgia used Su-25s in the 2008 conflict, with both claiming a few “kills”.
The
decision to shift away from attack aircraft to drones amounts to a
recognition that Georgia's arsenal would not stand a chance in the event
of another confrontation with Russia, the brigadier general said.
Source: By bne IntelliNews March 9, 2017
Photo: Georgia Independance Day! The Su-25 is the manistay of the Georgian Air Force. (Photo by smallairforces.blogspot.com.tr)