TCG Yıldırım conducted a port visit in Batumi Georgia last week. According to the Georgian Coast Guard, the purpose of the visit is to conduct a second level self-assessment (SEL-2) of the vessels Ochamchire and Dioskuria of the Coast Guard Department of the Border Police of Georgia within the framework of the NATO Operational Capability Concept Assessment and Feedback Program. The mentioned process is carried out with the support of representatives (evaluators) from the command of the Georgian and NATO military and naval forces.
Georgia has a very limited naval force. It is important for Georgia and its Coast Guard to have foreign warships of NATO nations visit the country. These visits signal the support of the guest nation to Georgia. An important act of support especially since 2008.
Furthermore, these visits are also opportunities to train Georgian sailors in the ways of indoctrinating them in the methods NATO navies use to perform particular tasks and to evaluate the performance of the Georgian sailors and naval units.
Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, no foreign warships outside of the Black Sea could have visited Georgia. The visit of TCG Yıldırım to Georgia is important in this regard as it provides the experience gained through such visits and bilateral training and shows Georga that it is not forgotten.
I hope that the visit and professional exchanges between the sailors of the two countries have helped the Georgian Navy and its sailors and they had a positive NATO Operational Capability Concept Evaluation and Feedback Program Individual Evaluation-2 process.
