Cypriot-developed drones carried out reconnaissance, surveillance, target designation and strike missions as the National Guard held the final phase of its ‘Iris 2026’ tactical exercise at the Kalo Chorio firing range on Thursday, the first time unmanned aircraft have been used on such a scale in a major National Guard exercise.
The final phase combined live fire, air support and drone operations in a complex joint scenario, and was attended by the Defence Minister, the leadership of the National Guard General Staff and foreign military attachés. It also marked the first time Cyprus’s defence industry had taken part with its own drones on such a scale.
Drones in the field
The drones were used mainly for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), building a common picture of the area of operations, locating simulated enemy positions and supporting targeting.
Swarmly Aero’s H-10 Poseidon drones were used by the Artillery Command for reconnaissance and target designation, linking aerial observation with fire support. CYRIC’s Goliath and the Matrice operated by the University of Cyprus’s KOIOS Centre of Excellence also took part.
First-person view (FPV) drones were used to strike predetermined targets, and systems for countering enemy drones, known as Counter-UAS (C-UAS), were also demonstrated.
The scenario
The exercise simulated defensive and counter-offensive operations in a hypothetical high-intensity conflict. In the scenario, enemy forces broke into part of a defensive position and established a bridgehead. Forces of the Mechanised Infantry Brigade moved first to contain the attack and stop any further advance.
In the second phase, the Armoured Brigade launched a counterattack to destroy the enemy forces and retake ground. Units of the XX Armoured Brigade, reinforced by the Mechanised Infantry Brigade, took part, with support from the Artillery, the Air Command and special operations units.
T-80 tanks, BMP-3 armoured fighting vehicles, artillery and anti-tank weapons fired live rounds, while the drones helped identify and designate targets for the artillery’s supporting fire.
The final phase opened with two Greek F-16 Viper fighter jets carrying out simulated strikes on targets, while H145M helicopters supported the ground forces. Special operations units of the Commando Command carried out infiltration and sniper drills, and a freefall jump was made from an AW139 helicopter.
Sea and air defence
At sea, the exercise featured scenarios for countering asymmetric threats. The Naval Command took part with patrol boats, and a coastal battery of Exocet MM40 Block 3C long-range anti-ship missiles carried out a simulated firing as part of a maritime interdiction operation, which aims to restrict enemy naval forces from operating in a given area.
The exercise also showed the role of the Israeli Barak MX air and missile defence system, which has been incorporated into the National Guard’s operational planning. Its task in the scenario was to protect the area of operations from air threats.
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