New Combat Vehicle Produced in Georgia - President

• Wednesday, February 22, 03:37

Tbilisi. Georgian-made new combat vehicle will be tested this week - Georgian President, Mikheil Saakashvili stated at the Georgian military base, during his brief visit to Afghanistan, on February 20 - Georgian President's press office reported on February 21.

                At the meeting with Georgian military at Shukvani military base, Helmand Province (Afghanistan), President Saakashvili did not specify technical details of the new combat vehicle. The only thing he reported was that the vehicle would be named "Lazika" - alike a new town that the Georgian authorities have been constructing on the Black Sea shore. Georgian President announced about construction of the new town in December 2011.

"A new model of Georgia combat hardware has been elaborated. Our first combat vehicle "Lazika" will be tested this week. As you know, earlier we have already produced Didgori armored vehicle; we also produce automatic rifles and other equipment - few countries in the world have it," Saakashvili stated.

                Georgian President also pointed out that the authorities "have done much in recent years without much noise and bragging" and that the authorities were doing much "to equip Georgian Armed Forces." President Saakashvili emphasized that after the August war 2008 the number of those willing to undergo reserve service had increased four times. "There will be over 100 thousand trained reservists by the end of spring in Georgia," Georgian President said. He also recalled his recent trip to the USA and visit to the Annapolis Naval Academy, where four Georgian officers were undergoing training (although the number of Academy students makes over 4400, there are only 30 foreign students).

                Georgian-made Didgori armored vehicles are of two types. They were produced by the Delta research center at the Ministry of Defence of Georgia and were first presented at the military review timed to Georgia's Independence Day - May 26, 2011.

                Didgori 1 is armed with an M134D 7.62mm minigun mounted on manually operated weapon station. The minigun has a high rate of fire at 3,000 shots a minute. Didgori 2 is mounted with an NSV 12.7mm heavy machine gun. The NSV can fire 700 to 800 rounds a minute. The vehicle can also be fitted with anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) serving as a secondary armament.