US, Georgia military planners prepare for Agile Spirit 2027

TBILISI, Georgia — Military planners from the United States, Georgia and other allied and partner nations gathered at the Combined Arms Center near Tbilisi, Georgia, Oct. 19-23, for the Agile Spirit 2027 initial planning conference, marking the first major step in preparing for next year's exercise.

Hosted by U.S. Army Europe and Africa in coordination with the Georgian Defence Forces, the conference brought together exercise planners, subject matter experts and key stakeholders to establish a shared vision for Agile Spirit 2027. Throughout the week, participants refined exercise objectives, identified resource requirements and developed the framework that will guide planning efforts over the coming year.

"Agile Spirit demonstrates our ability to rapidly integrate multinational forces and operate together in a dynamic environment," said Kevin Stibich, a training support specialist with Training and Exercises Division (G37), U.S. Army Europe and Africa. "This planning event allows us to align expectations early, identify requirements and ensure every participating nation contributes to a realistic and effective training event."

Agile Spirit is a U.S. European Command-scheduled, U.S. Army Europe and Africa-directed biennial exercise designed to enhance interoperability and readiness for collective defense operations. Conducted in Georgia, training typically brings together 2,000 to 3,000 U.S. forces, NATO allies and partner nations to focus on maneuver training, logistics coordination and multinational command and control.

During the conference, multinational teams conducted a predeployment site survey to assess infrastructure, range availability, sustainment requirements and command-and-control capabilities needed to support the exercise.

For the first time, multinational planners incorporated a process for electronic warfare and unmanned aerial system feedback. This means the U.S. and its partners will combine efforts, communicating across diverse platforms, to share best practices in real time.

"Agile Spirit provides an opportunity to train as we would operate in a real-world environment," Stibich said. "The work accomplished during this planning event ensures commanders receive challenging, relevant training that improves readiness across the combined force."

During AS27, the 173rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) will deploy to conduct field training and live-fire exercises, enhancing tactical proficiency and validating procedures for regional security operations.

Representatives from the 173rd MBCT (A) and U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) played a key role in discussions concerning force integration, training objectives and operational coordination across the theater.

“The initial planning conference serves as the foundation for exercise development,” said Nicholas Rolling, lead exercise planner for Training and Exercises Directorate (G7), SETAF-AF. “Multinational working groups focused on operations, logistics and communications. This helped us define training objectives, synchronize responsibilities and establish planning milestones ahead of the exercise.”

The conference also reinforced the long-standing defense relationship between the United States and Georgia. Georgian military leaders and planners worked closely with U.S. counterparts to shape an exercise that reflects shared security priorities and regional training requirements.

"For Georgia, Agile Spirit remains one of our most important training events," said Georgian army Brig. Gen. Koba Grigolia, commander of Western Command, Georgian Defence Forces. "The planning process strengthens cooperation among our partners, improves interoperability and demonstrates our collective commitment to regional security and stability."

Since 1994, the Georgia National Guard and the Georgian Defence Forces have maintained an enduring bilateral relationship through the Department of War’s State Partnership Program. For more than three decades, the two forces have conducted hundreds of security and training engagements, participated together in exercises including Agile Spirit and Noble Partner, and deployed together in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“The relationship with our Georgian partners is significant and meaningful, built over years of bilateral training.

Often during promotions or retirements, members of the Georgian military attend in person or participate over livestream,” said U.S. Army Maj. Jason Royal, a future operations chief with the 78th Troop Command, Georgia Army National Guard. “The partnership goes to the heart of true camaraderie found within the military.”

As planning continues, participating nations will refine exercise objectives, confirm force contributions and synchronize support requirements. Outcomes from the Tbilisi conference will inform future planning events and contribute to the development of a detailed operational framework for Agile Spirit 2027.

“Deploying our troops to Agile Spirit creates intense, real-world training in a truly joint multinational training environment that is mutually beneficial for our state partnership and strategic goals,” Royal said.

Scheduled for mid-2027 in Georgia, Agile Spirit demonstrates the operational capability and rapid deployability of multinational forces committed to regional stability along NATO’s eastern flank.

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