Allies and partners in arms: 22nd Multinational Battalion builds interoperability in Georgia

KRTSANISI, Georgia — NATO allies and partner nations enhanced their combat capabilities in Georgia during Agile Spirit 2025, an annual exercise intended for building combined readiness, lethality, and regional stability. Participating countries included Bulgaria, Georgia, Germany, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Türkiye and Ukraine.

The training was designed to enhance interoperability and combined operational capabilities of the participating armed forces through Agile Spirit 2025. Air and ground forces performed exercises over several days, allowing all involved to refine and solidify tactics that highlight their effectiveness. One such event was an airborne operation at Incirlik Airbase near Adana, Türkiye.

During training, service members practiced live-fire exercises. Participating countries were given the opportunity to conduct weapon zeroing for sight accuracy, then develop into live-range marksmanship targeting, RPG-7 anti-tank deployment and crew-served weapons practice.

Among the most complex tasks carried out by the 22nd Multinational Battalion was a multinational military police detainee operation, which reinforced how allied nations could jointly handle enemy capture and transport under combat conditions.

“This is the second time that the 22nd Battalion has participated in this multinational exercise,” said Lt. Col. Giorgi Jalagonia, the commander of the 22nd Multinational Battalion. “And each time, this exercise presents a great opportunity to conduct a wide variety of tactical actions with partner countries, as well as become familiar with different weapon systems in action.”

The inclusion of partners and allies in the Black Sea region demonstrates a strong commitment to one another in ensuring regional security. This is an integral tool for building a sense of security in the area.

“We mutually share insights from our experiences with the world's current military challenges and ongoing conflicts,” Jalagonia added. “With those actions, we make each other stronger. As the 22nd Battalion commander, I am honored to participate in the Agile Spirit military exercise."

Not all participating nations are from the region. American forces co-led the entirety of the training with Georgian command, continuing a 31-year partnership between the United States and Georgia.

“Under the leadership of West Command of the Defence Forces of Georgia, numerous activities are ongoing within Agile Spirit,” said Col. Davita Gagua, JTEC Commander. “The exercise is underway in various locations of the training and military education command, including representatives of the 7th Army Training Command of U.S. Army Europe and Africa.”

Service members training under this blended command structure gained experience in practical exercises such as air assault missions, weapons range operations, and a night operation where ground forces simulated a combat scenario.

This allows each partner nation to learn from allied forces and provides each participant an opportunity to celebrate their victories and newly acquired objectives. But more than that, it gives troops real-world experience that sharpens them for future operations.

As Agile Spirit 2025 concludes, the 22nd Multinational Battalion and its partner nations are better coordinated, more capable, and better prepared to respond to real-world threats. Through shared hardship and collaboration, these forces continue to build a united front. The message is clear: regional security is a shared responsibility, and that responsibility is taken seriously.