Cyprus is preparing to strengthen its air and naval defence capabilities through a new military agreement with the United States, with officials set to submit specific equipment requests to Washington soon.
The initiative comes after President Biden’s executive order lifted restrictions on US military equipment sales to Cyprus. The agreement will give Cyprus access to surplus or used US military equipment, considered valuable for the National Guard despite being outdated by US standards.
A key focus is enhancing naval and air capabilities, with the acquisition of American helicopters high on Cyprus’s priority list.
Officials are particularly interested in helicopters previously used by the US Coast Guard, seeking aircraft that could serve dual purposes including firefighting operations.
The Cypriot government is initially targeting systems available either free of charge or at minimal cost, while also planning upgrades to bases in Mari (naval) and Paphos (air force).
Coast guard vessels are also on the procurement list, reviving previous discussions that were limited by the US embargo.
Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said the equipment would be “extremely useful” for Cyprus, noting the country’s limited options for accessing cutting-edge technology.
Defence Ministry spokesman Christos Pieri confirmed that all acquisitions would be evaluated based on National Guard headquarters’ recommendations.
Turkey has strongly objected to the deal, but government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis dismissed these concerns as unfounded, stating the programme aims to strengthen Cyprus’s defence capabilities and diplomatic presence.
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