The AWACs plane was given a one-hour test flight by senior NATO officials last week, although Georgia has not yet officially confirmed its interest in the craft.

The Russian foreign ministry said Georgia would "escalate the already tense situation in the south Caucasus" if it ordered the airborne surveillance systems.

"This is about protecting our airspace, so we know what is happening on our territory," ambassador Zurab Abashidze told the Echo Moscow radio.

The envoy said that Georgia had decided to ask for NATO's help after unidentified craft flew over Georgian territory last year and dropped bombs.

The Georgian authorities, who accused the Russian aviation of targetting suspected Chechen rebel bases in Georgia's Pankisi gorge, unsuccessfully sought explanations from Moscow, which denied its planes had violated Georgian airspace.

"On this subject, fresh violations of our airspace happened recently and we are hoping for a response from the Russian military," Abashidze said.

Moscow accuses Tbilisi of allowing guerrillas from the Russian breakaway republic of Chechnya to set up bases on its territory.

In response to the possible NATO deployment, it protested that "Russia's national security" was involved, adding that AWACs technology could provide surveillance over a large portion of Russian territory without ever entering the country.

Georgia has sought membership of the NATO alliance as its relations with Russia continue to deteriorate.

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