List of equipment of the Cypriot National Guard
The Cypriot National Guard is a combined arms force and represents the organised air, land and sea capabilities of the Republic of Cyprus. Equipment is mostly imported from other countries, since the country has very limited heavy industrial and commercial industrial capacity due to its small population and land mass (excluding Northern Cyprus). The role of maintaining, upgrading and modifying military equipment is primarily the task of the National Guard Technical Corps, though more complex activities rely upon the availability of civil contracts. As of 2023, the Republic of Cyprus will no longer be under US Defence sanctions opening the National Guard to the sale of US defence products.[1]
Infantry Equipment
editThis list contains equipment which is in use by the Cypriot National Guard.
Camouflages
editModel | Origin | Type | Photo | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|
Camoflages | ||||
Multicam | United States | Camouflage pattern | ||
Woodland Digital | United States | Camouflage pattern | Used by LOK (Retired in 2017) | |
UCP | United States | Camouflage pattern | (Retired at an unknown date) | |
Cypriot Sandstone | Cyprus | Camouflage pattern | ||
Greek Lizard | Greece | Camouflage pattern | Used by ELDYK |
Infantry weapons
editLand Forces
editArmored vehicles
editModel | Origin | Photo | Variant | Quantity | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Main battle tanks (MBTs) | |||||
T-80 | Russia | T-80U | 54 | A total of 82 MBTs acquired between 1996 and 2011.[25] | |
T-80UK | 28 | ||||
AMX-30 | France | AMX-30B2 | 52 | Another 61 AMX-30s have been withdrawn from active service and are waiting to be scrapped; some will be kept for museums. To be replaced.[17][26] | |
Infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) | |||||
BMP-3 | Russia | BMP-3 (Basic Version) | 43 | Deal worth $68 million, and delivered in 1995–1996.[23] | |
Armored reconnaissance vehicles | |||||
EE-9 Cascavel | Brazil | Cascavel Mk IV/V | 126 | Entered service from 1984 to 1988. It has a top speed of 80 km/h off-road and 110 km/h on-road. It is armed with a 90 mm Belgian Cockerill Mk 3 gun, improved day and night optics with laser rangefinder, and a 12.7 mm anti-aircraft MG.[23] | |
EE-3 Jararaca | Brazil | EE-3 Tank destroyer | 36 | Entered service from 1984 to 1985, 24 are armed with a MILAN ATGM system. The vehicle has a 3-man crew with a top speed of 100 km/h and is armed with 1 x 20-mm Rh202 autocannon, and 1 x 12.7mm machine gun.[23] | |
Armoured personnel carriers (APCs) | |||||
ELVO Leonidas | Greece | Leonidas-2 | 197 | Based on the Austrian Saurer 4K 4FA.[23] | |
VAB | France | VAB-PC | 4 | A total of 147 vehicles are operated by the National Guard. The VAB VCAC variant is equipped with the Euromissile Mephisto anti-tank missile system. (See infantry weapons above.)[23][27] | |
VAB-VTT | 98 | ||||
VAB VCI | 17 | ||||
VAB VCAC | 18 | ||||
EE-11 Urutu | Brazil | Unknown | 10 | Status uncertain.[23] | |
Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs) | |||||
BOV M16 Miloš | Serbia | Artillery reconnaissance – command vehicle | 8 | Part of a $50 mil. deal that included Nora B-52. Delivered in 2019. The 8 BOV M16 are used as artillery reconnaissance and battery command vehicles for the 24 Nora B-52 self-propelled howitzers of the National Guard.[28][29] | |
Armored recovery vehicles (ARVs) | |||||
BREM-80 | Russia | BREM-80U | 8 | Based on the T-80 chassis.[30] | |
AMX-30 | France | AMX-30D | 2 | [23] | |
Anti-Tank Guided Missile Vehicle | |||||
Euromissile Mephisto | France | 18 | 18 systems. Mounted on the 18 VAB VCAC APCs of the National Guard with four ready-to-fire HOT-2 anti-tank missiles and eight more in reserve, 500 missiles.[17][23] | ||
LAPV Enok | Germany | ENOK 4.8 AB | 1 + 59 on order | Armed with Spike LR2 missile.[31] | |
Land Rover Wolf W/ MILAN | France / United Kingdom | ? | Multiple systems of MILAN mounted on Land Rover Defender Wolfs. Significant Numbers, exact numbers unknown. 115 mm, Tandem shaped charge with 2 km max range. |
Artillery
editModel | Origin | Type | Photo | Number | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rocket artillery | |||||
M-63 Plamen | Yugoslavia | 128mm towed multiple rocket launcher | 24 | [23][17] | |
M-77 Oganj | Yugoslavia | 128mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher | 8 | Status uncertain.[23] | |
BM-21 Grad | Russia | 122mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher | 4 | Probably second hand.[23] | |
Self-propelled artillery | |||||
Nora B-52 | Serbia | 155mm self-propelled howitzer | 24 | First batch received in 2019.[32] | |
Zuzana | Slovakia | 155mm self-propelled howitzer | 12 | Ordered in 2001 and delivered in 2007 via Greece.[23] | |
Mk F3 155mm | France | 155mm self-propelled howitzer | 12 | Delivered in 1991.[23] | |
M107 | United States | 175mm self-propelled howitzer | 12 | [33][17] | |
M110A2 | United States | 203mm self-propelled howitzer | 8 | [33][17] | |
Tatrapan | Slovakia | Artillery command vehicle | 3 | [33][17] | |
AMX-VCI | France | Artillery command vehicle | Unknown | ||
Towed artillery | |||||
M-56 | Yugoslavia | 105mm towed howitzer | 72 | Delivered in 1986.[33][23] | |
M1944 BS-3 | Soviet Union | 100mm towed gun | 20 | Most if not all have been transferred to Ukraine. | |
M-114 | United States | 155mm towed howitzer | 12 | [33][17] | |
TRF1 | France | 155 mm towed howitzer | 12 | Delivered in 1991.[33][23] | |
Mortars | |||||
E44-E Mortar | Greece | 81 mm mortar | 180 | [17] | |
M29 Mortar | United States | 81 mm mortar | Unknown | In use as of 2000.[34] | |
M30 Mortar | United States | 106.7 mm mortar | 26 | To be fully retired.[35] | |
MO-120-RT | France | 120 mm mortar | 116 | Delivered in 1990-1991. 12 equipped on mortar carriers.[23][17] |
Airforce
editAir defense
editName | Origin | Type | Photo | In service | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Surface-to-air missiles | |||||
Barak 8 | Israel | Surface to air missile system | Unknown | In operation as of December 2024. No official statements regarding the acquisition of the system.[36][37] | |
TOR M-1 | Soviet Union Russia |
Surface to air missile system | 6 | Delivered by Greece in replacement for the S-300.[23][38] | |
Buk M1-2 | Soviet Union Russia |
Surface to air missile system | 8 | Total number of systems is unknown. Could be 2 batteries with 4 systems each.[38][39][40][41] | |
Aspide | United States Italy |
Surface to air missile system | 24 | With 12 Skyguard radars.[23][17] | |
Mistral | France | Man-portable air defense system | 30 | 18 Mistral MANPADS and 12x2 Mistral Atlas vehicle based systems. More than 300 missiles. More missile on order as of June 2023.[42][17][23][33] | |
9K32 Strela-2 | Soviet Union Russia |
Man-portable air defense system | 100 | Operational Numbers may be less[43] | |
9S737M Ranzhir-M | Russia | Mobile command center | Unknown | Mobile Command Centre for the coordination of the TOR air defense network system [44] | |
Anti aircraft artillery | |||||
GDF-005 | Switzerland | Anti-aircraft gun | 24 | 2x35mm anti-aircraft gun.[17][23] | |
Zastava M-55 | Yugoslavia | Anti-aircraft gun | 50 | 3x20mm anti-aircraft gun.[17] |
Aircraft
editAircraft | Origin | Type | Photo | Variant | In service | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fixed wing aircraft | ||||||
Embraer ERJ-135 | Brazil | VIP Transport | EMB-135BJ | 1 | Donated by Greece to Cyprus in September 2022. The aircraft is used to transport the President of the Republic and other government officials.[45] | |
Helicopters | ||||||
Airbus H145 | France Germany |
Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter | H145M | 0 | 6 on order with an option to buy another 6. First to be delivered end of December 2024.[46][47][48] | |
Aérospatiale Gazelle | France | Utility/Anti-tank | Gazelle SA 342L | 4 | Armed with 4 HOT Anti-tank Guided Missiles.[38][49][50] | |
AgustaWestland AW139 | Italy | SAR/Utility | AW139 | 5 | Used primarily for Search and Rescue (SAR).[17][38][49] | |
Bell 206 | United States | Utility/Transport | LongRanger III | 2 | [17][38] | |
Unmanned aerial vehicles | ||||||
Aerostar | Israel | Surveillance/Recon | 4 | +4 on order.[38][51] | ||
IAI Searcher | Israel | Surveillance/Recon | 2 | [52] |
Retired aircraft include the Mil Mi-35P.[53]
Naval Forces
editSurface defense
editName | Origin | Type | Photo | In service | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Surface-to-surface missiles | |||||
Exocet | France | Mobile surface-to-surface missile | 3 batteries. | Block 3+ modernization part of $250 mil. bought along side Mistral 3 |
Surface Ships
editClass | Origin | Vessel Type | Photo | Name | In Service | Length | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Surface Fleet | |||||||
Al Mumbrukah | United Kingdom | Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) | "Alasia" | 1 | 62m | Gift from the Sultan of Oman, refitted for military purposes in 2017.[54][55][56] | |
Saar 62 | Israel | Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) | "Andreas Ioannides" | 1 | 62m | Part of deal for 2 ships of same class from 2017, one of the newest ships of the NG.[57][56] | |
Rodman 55 | Spain | Fast Assault boat | "Agathos" "Panagos" | 2 | 17m | Acquired in 2002, Used by Special Forces.[56] | |
RIB 42' SF | Italy | Fast Assault boat | "Nireas 1" "Poseidonas 1 " | 2 | 13m | Used by Special Forces actively. [56] | |
FPB C382 | Italy | Fast Patrol Boat | "Eleftherios Tsomakis" "Nikolas Georgiou" | 2 | 27m | [56] | |
Esterel | France | Fast Patrol Boat | "Salamis" | 1 | 32m | Oldest active ship in the National Guard naval forces - Heavily upgraded.[56] | |
FPB | Finland | Multitask Patrol Boat | "Ammochostos" | 1 | 26m | Donated from the ministry of agriculture. [56][58] |
Future Procurements
editIn the last decade the Cypriot National Guard has pushed for a complete modernization of its capabilities and equipment. In light of the recent lifting of the US imposed embargo of the '80s in 2022 Cyprus has started seek interest in multiple western weapon systems. Cyprus also being a part of the European Union means it is part of defensive programs involving other European Nations.[59]
Name | Origin | Type | Photo | Number | Expected Arrival | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Exocet MM40 Block 3 | France | Mobile surface-to-surface missile | Upgrade Package | N/A | The Exocet deal came along side with the orders of new Mistral III MANPAD systems from France in 2021, the deal cost $260 mil.[60][61] | |
Mistral III | France | SHORAD / MANPADs | Unknown | N/A | The Mistral deal of the came along side with the orders of new Exocet block 3 systems from France.[61] | |
LRSVM Tamnava | Serbia | Multiple Launch Rocket System | 6 | N/A | One battery of six systems ordered in 2021. | |
Saar 62 | Israel | Offshore Patrol Vessel | 1 | N/A | Original deal underlined that 2 Saar 62s would enter service, only one did until now in 2017, order still hasn't been canceled.[62] | |
Airbus H145 | France / Germany | Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter | 6 (+6 option) | First batch 2024 | Ordered in 2021 | |
Akeron MP | France | Fire-and-forget anti-tank Missile | Unknown | Unknown | Deal expected soon along with Sherpa Light.[63] | |
MARSEUS | France Belgium Sweden Cyprus |
Beyond Line of sight missile | Unknown | Unknown | PESCO project between multiple European Nations coordinated by France to develop a new Beyond line of Sight missile system, Testing of the system was conducted in Cyprus in the summer of 2022. The development program includes local Cypriot companies including SignalGeneriX and famous defense companies such as MBDA and THALES.[64][65] | |
Barak 8 | Israel | Air defense system | Unknown | Unknown | Announced in December 2024} |
Gallery
edit-
Soldiers of the Special Forces armed with FN SCAR-L assault rifles.
-
A National Guard soldier standing still with a G3A3 rifle.
-
Cypriot T-80 main battle tanks during the October 1st parade in Nicosia.
-
Cypriot VAB-VCAC armored personnel carriers.
-
A National Guard's Aérospatiale Gazelle anti-tank helicopter flying during a parade.
-
Flag Carriers during the October 1st independence day parades.
-
Special Forces fast roping down a helicopter.
-
Cypriot Special forces joint training onboard the "Alasia" vessel.
-
Cypriot Underwater demolition team "OYK" in joint training with Greek counterparts.
See also
editReferences
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