Georgia could be interesed to purchase SAMP Aster 30 air defense missile system from France.

[Gabriel92]

Georgia's defense minister has said that negotiations to acquire air defense systems remain underway, contrary to claims from his predecessor that Russia scuttled attempts to buy such weaponry from the West.

French Army launch unit of SAMP/Mamba air defense missile system

According the Eurasianet.org website, Georgia has showed interest to acquire new air defense system from France. Ex-defense minister of Georgia, Irakli Alasania has started negociations to acquire air defense systems from France.

A "Memorandum of Understanding" on supply of new anti-missile systems and air defense systems was signed by the former Minister of Defence of Georgia Irakli Alasania and leading French weapons concerns on October 28 last year.

"Over the past 22 years, air defence has been our 'Achilles' heel,'" Alasania said in a TV interview, reported BBC Monitoring. "Therefore, when I came to the [Defence] Ministry, the first thing I did together with our military men was to determine air defence as our top priority. This was a system of exclusively defensive character, and I openly spoke about it in my plans."

Ex-Minister of Defense’s boast of the French anti-aircraft system being able to shoot down even the Russian “Iskander” missiles makes us think that he aimed to obtain the modern French anti-air system SAMP/Tbecause only the Aster 30 type of active radiolocation targeting missiles are able to shoot down helicopters and planes at the altitude of 25 km and the distance of 100 km as well as destroy the Russian “Tochka-U” tactical ballistic missiles within the 35 km radius. The Aster 30 anti-aircraft missile may also be used against the more modern “Iskanders” as well, but at an even closer range.

Current Georgian Defense Minister, Mindia Janelidze said that increase of country’s air defense capabilities is one of the priorities for Georgian MoD and added that consultations on the issue are ongoing not only with France but with other partners as well.

“Active consultations are underway not just with one, but several partner states, to increase our air defense capabilities,” the Defense Minister said.

Georgia could be interested to purchase SAMP Aster 30 air defense missile system from France | April 2015 Global Defense Security news UK | Defense Security global news industry army 2015

 

[Víðarr]

A good choice and less politically sensitive than Georgia picking a US system like Patriot 3

PAC-3 - a bad choice, too politically sensitive; the Russian's would not approve.

Aster-30 - a good choice

 

[SipahSalar]

A good choice and less politically sensitive than Georgia picking a US system like Patriot 3

PAC-3 - a bad choice, too politically sensitive; the Russian's would not approve.

If there is any difference between capability shouldn't they go for the most capable one? Not to say the French one is any less capable, they make very solid equipment.

 

[Víðarr]

If there is any difference between capability shouldn't they go for the most capable one? Not to say the French one is any less capable, they make very solid equipment.

That's up to Georgia to decide, though increased capabilities often come with increased cost and Georgia doesn't have the largest defense budget:

Military Budget in Georgia – Georgian Military Spending

451 Million USD in 2012.

Still, PAC-3 would be politically sensitive, due to Georgia's proximity to Russia and thus the US would be more cautious about selling its technology to Georgia. France doesn't have the same connotation or charge in Russia as the US does, so its sales might be less publicized or notable.

Neither is a bad choice, nor are competitors not limited to Aster-30 or PAC-3. But the politics of a PAC-3 deal would make Aster-30 more feasible.