Cyprus will begin upgrading two military bases in spring 2027 in cooperation with the United States and France, with works at the Andreas Papandreou air base in Paphos and the Evangelos Florakis naval base in Mari expected to run until 2030.
The air base upgrade is being carried out with US assistance, while French experts are involved in the naval base works, philenews reported. The Defence Ministry tender for the projects attracted interest from a number of companies.
Air base
The runway at Andreas Papandreou is to be extended significantly to accommodate more and larger aircraft, including transport planes. High-tech communications systems will also be installed. Works are also planned on fuel storage facilities, with capacity possibly increasing. On completion, the base is expected to serve allied needs and function as a hub for evacuation operations involving large numbers of transport aircraft.
Naval base
The Evangelos Florakis naval base at Mari faces more substantial works. The harbour is to be dredged from its current estimated depth of no more than seven metres to beyond 12 metres, to accommodate larger vessels including frigates and submarines — a complex undertaking, philenews said. The marina is also being expanded as part of the ongoing works, alongside smaller modernisation works across the base and its facilities.
Weapons systems
Both bases are expected to be equipped with more modern anti-drone systems. The National Guard already has the capability to disable drones over critical infrastructure, but the two bases are set to receive upgraded equipment. Drones have emerged as the main threat to military bases and airports, as demonstrated in Cyprus and across Europe in recent years.
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