Emblem of the National Guard of Cyprus.

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]


Equipment

This list contains equipment which is in use by the Cypriot National Guard.

Infantry weapons

Model Origin Cartridge Photo Notes
Handguns
HK USP  Germany 9x19mm Parabellum
[2]
FN Five-Seven BelgiumFN 5.7×28mm
250 used by Special Forces.[2]
Submachine guns
FN P90 BelgiumFN 5.7×28mm
350 used by the Special Forces.[2]
Assault rifles
HK G3 West Germany
 Greece		 7.62×51mm NATO
Standard Issue Rifle. The versions operated by the National Guard are mainly the G3A3 and G3A4 (shown in the picture, the upper one is the G3A4 and the lower one is the G3A3).[3][4][4]
AK-74M Russia5.45×39mm
AK-74M version in use by the National Guard.[5]
Vz.58  Czechoslovakia 7.62×39mm
Used for a brief period of time by the Special Forces in 2016.[6][7]
Colt M16A2  United States 5.56×45mm NATO
Used by OYK.[2]
FN SCAR-L Belgium5.56×45mm NATO
Used by the Special Forces.[8][9]
FN SCAR-H (TPR Variant) 7.62×51mm NATO
IWI Tavor X95  Israel 5.56×45mm NATO
Used by the Special Forces.[10]
Sniper rifles
Accuracy International Arctic Warfare United Kingdom.338 Lapua Magnum
Used by the Special Forces [11][12]
Accuracy International AX50  United Kingdom .50 BMG
Used by the Special Forces [11][12]
Machine guns
MG 3 West Germany
 Greece		7.62×51mm NATO
[2][4]
HK21  Germany 7.62×51mm NATO
A variation of the HK G3 with a heavier barrel.[2][4]
FN MAG  Belgium 7.62×51mm NATO
[2]
IWI Negev Israel5.56×45mm NATO
Used by mechanised infantry, paratroopers and the Special Forces.[13][14]
7.62×51mm NATO
M2 Browning  United States .50 BMG
[15]
Grenade launchers
STK 40 AGL  Singapore 40 mm grenade
[2][16][17]
Anti-tank weapons
M72 LAW  United States Rocket-propelled grenade 66mm
[18]
RPG-7V Russia Rocket-propelled grenade85mm
1,000+ launchers.[19]
M40A1 United StatesRecoilless rifle 105mm
144 M40A1s as of 2016.[20][18]
RAC 112 APILAS  France Recoilless anti-tank weapon 112mm
1,000+ launchers.[18]
9M117 Bastion  Russia Anti-tank guided missile 100mm
Line-of-sight, beam-riding missile (LOSBR) fired from the BMP-3 IFV, 700 missiles delivered in 1996.[21]
9M117 Refleks  Russia Anti-tank guided missile 120mm
Fired from the 125mm main gun of the T80U and T80UK main battle tanks of the National Guard.[22]
MILAN III FranceAnti-tank guided missile115mm
45 launchers, 1,000+ missiles.[23][24]
SPIKE LR2  Israel
 Germany		 Anti-tank guided missile 130mm
Agreement reportedly signed in 2023, arrival dates are unknown. No official statement regarding the purchase.[25]
Euromissile Mephisto  France Anti-tank guided missile 150mm
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.[18][24]

Armored vehicles

Model Origin Photo Variant Quantity Notes
Main battle tanks (MBTs)
T-80  Russia
Cypriot T80U
Cypriot T80U
 T-80U 54 A total of 82 MBTs acquired between 1996 and 2011.[26]
T-80UK 28
AMX-30 France
 AMX-30B252Another 61 AMX-30s have been withdrawn from active service and are waiting to be scrapped; some will be kept for museums. May be replaced by Israeli Merkava.[18][27][28][29]
Infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs)
BMP-3 Russia
 BMP-3 (Basic Version)43Deal worth $68 million, and delivered in 1995–1996.[24]
Armored reconnaissance vehicles
EE-9 Cascavel Brazil
 Cascavel Mk IV/V126Entered 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.[24][30]
EE-3 Jararaca Brazil
 EE-3 Tank destroyer36Entered 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.[24][31]
Armoured personnel carriers (APCs)
ELVO Leonidas Greece
Greek Leonidas-2 APC
Greek Leonidas-2 APC
 Leonidas-2197Based on the Austrian Saurer 4K 4FA.[24]
VAB  France
VAB-PC4 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.)[24][32]
VAB-VTT98
VAB VCI17
VAB VCAC18
EE-11 Urutu Brazil
 Unknown10Status uncertain.[24]
Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs)
BOV M16 Miloš Serbia
 Artillery reconnaissance – command vehicle8Part 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.[33][34]
Armored recovery vehicles (ARVs)
BREM-80 Russia
 BREM-80U8Based on the T-80 chassis.[35]
AMX-30  France
AMX-30D 2 [24][36]

Artillery

Model Origin Type Photo Number Notes
Rocket artillery
M-63 Plamen Yugoslavia128mm towed multiple rocket launcher
24[24][18]
M-77 Oganj Yugoslavia128mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher
8Status uncertain.[24]
BM-21 Grad Russia122mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher
4Probably second hand.[24]
Self-propelled artillery
Nora B-52 Serbia155mm self-propelled howitzer
24First batch received in 2019.[37]
Zuzana Slovakia155mm self-propelled howitzer
12Ordered in 2001 and delivered in 2007 via Greece.[24]
Mk F3 155mm France155mm self-propelled howitzer
12Delivered in 1991.[24]
M107  United States 175mm self-propelled howitzer
12 [38][18]
M110A2  United States 203mm self-propelled howitzer
8 [38][18]
Tatrapan  Slovakia Artillery command vehicle 3 [38][18]
Towed artillery
M-56 Yugoslavia105mm towed howitzer
72Delivered in 1986.[38][24]
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 [38][18]
TRF1 France155mm towed howitzer
French 155mm TRF1 Towed Artillery
French 155mm TRF1 Towed Artillery
12Delivered in 1991.[38][24]
Mortars
E44-E Mortar  Greece 81mm mortar
180 [18]
M29 Mortar United States81mm mortar
UnknownIn use as of 2000.[39]
M30 Mortar United States106.7mm mortar
26To be fully retired.[40]
MO-120-RT France120mm mortar
120mm Mortar
120mm Mortar
116Delivered in 1990-1991. 12 equipped on mortar carriers.[24][18]

Air defense

Name Origin Type Photo In service Notes
Surface-to-air missiles
TOR M-1  Russia Surface-to-air missile system
6 Delivered by Greece in replacement for the S-300.[24][41]
Buk M1-2  Russia Surface-to-air missile system
8 Total number of systems is unknown. Could be 2 batteries with 4 systems each.[41][42][43][44]
Aspide  Italy Surface-to-air missile system
24 With 12 Skyguard radars.[24][18]
Mistral  France Man-portable air-defense system
Cypriot SHORAD
Cypriot SHORAD
 30 18 Mistral MANPADS and 12x2 Mistral Atlas vehicle based systems. More than 300 missiles. More missile on order as of June 2023.[45][18][24][38]
9K32 Strela-2  Russia Man-portable air-defense system 100 Operational Numbers may be less[46]
Anti aircraft artillery
GDF-005   Switzerland Anti-aircraft gun
24 2x35mm anti-aircraft gun.[18][24]
Zastava M-55  Yugoslavia Anti-aircraft gun
50 3x20mm anti-aircraft gun.[18]

Surface defense

Name 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

Class 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[47][48][49]
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[50][49]
Rodman 55  Spain Fast Assault boat "Agathos" "Panagos" 2 17m Acquired in 2002, Used by Special Forces.[49]
RIB 42' SF  Italy Fast Assault boat "Nireas 1" "Poseidonas 1 " 2 13m Used by Special Forces actively [49]
FPB C382  Italy Fast Patrol Boat "Eleftherios Tsomakis" "Nikolas Georgiou" 2 27m [49]
Esterel  France Fast Patrol Boat "Salamis" 1 32m Oldest active ship in the National Guard naval forces - Heavily upgraded[49]
FPB  Finland Multitask Patrol Boat "Ammochostos" 1 26m Donated from the ministry of agriculture [49][51]

Aircraft

Aircraft 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, the minister of Defence, the minister of foreign affairs, the minister of finance and other government officials[52]
Helicopters
Airbus H145  France /  Germany Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter
H145M 0 6 on order with an option to buy another 6. Expected to arrive by late 2023.[53][54]
Aérospatiale Gazelle  France Utility/Anti-tank
Gazelle SA 342L 4 Armed with 4 HOT Anti-tank Guided Missiles.[41][55][56]
AgustaWestland AW139  Italy SAR/Utility
AW139 5 Used primarily for Search and Rescue (SAR).[18][41][55]
Bell 206  United States Utility/Transport
LongRanger III 2 [18][41]
Unmanned aerial vehicles
Aerostar  Israel Surveillance/Recon
4 +4 on order.[41][57]
IAI Searcher  Israel Surveillance/Recon
2 [58]

Retired aircraft include the Mil Mi-35P.[59]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Turkey condemns US decision to lift Cyprus arms embargo". aljazeera.com. Al Jazeeria. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Cyprus Infantry Arms List (Current and Former Types)". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  3. ↑ "403 unauthorized". www.philenews.com. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Ιερείς σε στρατιωτική άσκηση: Έριξαν βολές και προκάλεσαν αντιδράσεις (ΒΙΝΤΕΟ)". www.alphanews.live (in Greek). Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  5. ↑ Jenzen-Jones, N.R. (September 2012). "The 100-Series Kalashnikovs: A Primer". Small Arms Review. Vol. 16 no. 3. Archived from the original on 2019-03-06. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  6. ↑ Redefined, Defence (8 August 2021). "TAVOR | Το Βασικό Τυφέκιο των Μονάδων Καταδρομών της Εθνικής Φρουράς - Ανάλυση". DEFENCE ReDEFiNED (in Greek). Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  7. ↑ "Ceska Zbrojovka vz. 58". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  8. ↑ "Cyprus National Guard to get X95s, AI Rifles, SF to receive SCARs". The Firearm Blog. 13 October 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  9. ↑ DefenceReview.gr: Οδοιπορικό στην Εθνική Φρουρά - Αφιέρωμα στη Διοίκηση Καταδρομών, retrieved 8 January 2023
  10. ↑ "Cypriot paratroopers use Israeli weapons". Israel Defense. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  11. 1 2 "DefenceReview.gr: Οδοιπορικό στην Εθνική Φρουρά - Αφιέρωμα στη Διοίκηση Καταδρομών". Youtube. Defence Review gr. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  12. 1 2 Vlassis, Savvas (11 November 2018). "ΔΥΝΑΜΙΚΗ ΓΡΟΘΙΑ 2018 και η πραγματικη αδυναμία των Mi-35P". Δούρειος Ίππος. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  13. ↑ Boguslavsky, Eyal. "Cypriot paratroopers use Israeli weapons". Israel Defense.
  14. ↑ DefenceReview.gr: Οδοιπορικό στην Εθνική Φρουρά - Αφιέρωμα στη Διοίκηση Καταδρομών, retrieved 8 January 2023
  15. ↑ "Cyprus army". dom.com.cy. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  16. ↑ Redefined, Defence (13 June 2021). "ΤΑΜΣ-ΤΑΑΣ «ΝΙΚΗΤΗΣ-ΔΗΜΗΤΡΑ 2021» | Τα ενδιαφέροντα οπλικά συστήματα και μέσα που εντοπίσαμε - Φωτογραφίες". DEFENCE ReDEFiNED (in Greek). Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  17. ↑ "ST Kinetics (CIS) 40 AGL". Military Equipment Guide With Photos. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 "Εξοπλισμός Εθνικής Φρουράς (Κύπρος)". www.ellinikos-stratos.com. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  19. ↑ Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (27 January 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
  20. ↑ Military Balance 2016, p. 85.
  21. ↑ "Trade Registers". armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  22. ↑ Βολές Πολυβόλων και Αντιαρματικών Βλημάτων από Άρματα Τ-80U, retrieved 4 July 2023
  23. ↑ International Institute for Strategic Studies (2020). "Chapter Four: Europe". The Military Balance. 120 (1): 95. doi:10.1080/04597222.2020.1707964. S2CID 219623996.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 "Trade Registers".
  25. ↑ Redefined, Defence (15 May 2023). "ΑΠΟΚΛΕΙΣΤΙΚΟ | Μεγάλη ενίσχυση με αντιαρματικά EuroSpike και οχήματα ENOK A.B για την Εθνική Φρουρά". DEFENCE ReDEFiNED (in Greek). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  26. ↑ "Πόσα εκατομμύρια στοίχισαν τα 82 άρματα Τ80 της Εθνικής Φρουράς". www.offsite.com.cy. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  27. ↑ "Battle tanks to be scrapped". Cyprus Mail.
  28. ↑ HD, NEMESIS (22 June 2023). "Η Ισραηλινή Haaretz επιβεβαιώνει συζητήσεις για Merkava στην Κύπρο" (in Greek). Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  29. ↑ "Israel Plans to Sell Its Merkava Tanks to Cyprus". Haaretz. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  30. ↑ "EE-9 Cascavel Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle | Military-Today.com". www.military-today.com. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  31. ↑ "EE-3 Jararaca Armored Scout Car | Military-Today.com". www.military-today.com. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  32. ↑ "Cypriot Armed Forces - Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG) Land Operations Group - Maritime Wing - Air Wing - European Defence Information".
  33. ↑ "Σέρβικα αυτοκινούμενα πυροβόλα NORA B-52 παραδίδονται στην Κύπρο" (in Greek). iskra.gr. 25 August 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  34. ↑ "Cyprus parades new Serbian-made artillery and armoured vehicles". Janes.com. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  35. ↑ "Trade Registers". armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  36. ↑ "AMX-30D Armored Recovery Vehicle | Military-Today.com". www.military-today.com. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  37. ↑ https://www.janes.com/defence-equipment-intelligence/cyprus-parades-new-serbian-made-artillery-and-armoured-vehicles/ .
  38. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Polignosi. "Εθνική Φρουρά". www.polignosi.com. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  39. ↑ Gander, Terry J. (22 November 2000). "National inventories, Cyprus". Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001–2002. p. 1509.
  40. ↑ The Military Balance 2016, p. 85.
  41. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Εθνική Φρουρά - Αεροπορία". www.army.gov.cy. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  42. ↑ "The Cypriot Missile Crisis". geimint.blogspot.co.uk. May 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  43. ↑ Νικολοβγένης, Θεόδωρος (5 June 2021). "Συγκριτικό: Εθνική Φρουρά εναντίον Κατοχικού Στρατού (Μέρος Α')". Defence Review (in Greek). Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  44. ↑ "Η Κύπρος παραχωρεί στην Ουκρανία τα ρωσικής κατασκευής οπλικά συστήματα της Εθνοφρουράς! – Δηλώσεις του κυβερνητικού εκπροσώπου". Pronews.gr (in Greek). 13 October 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  45. ↑ Irish, John (20 June 2023). "Five European states sign letter of intent to buy Mistral air defence systems". reuters.com. Reuters. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  46. ↑ "Cypriot Armed Forces - Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG) Land Operations Group - Maritime Wing - Air Wing - European Defence Inforamtion". www.armedforces.co.uk. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  47. ↑ "ALASIA patrol vessel (1971/2017)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  48. ↑ "Alasia (A620) Has Returned to Active Service for Southern Cyprus". DefenceHub | Global Military & Security Forum. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  49. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 D-Mitch. "NAVAL FORCES #12 and COAST GUARD VESSELS #5: Cyprus Naval Command & Coast Guard patrol vessels". Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  50. ↑ Desk, News (3 January 2018). "New OPV Joins the Cypriot Navy - Defense Update:". Retrieved 11 January 2024. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  51. ↑ "Patrol boats". Työvene. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  52. ↑ HD, NEMESIS (2 September 2022). ""Ένδειξη κύρους της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας" | Έτοιμο το Κυπριακό κυβερνητικό αεροσκάφος" (in Greek). Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  53. ↑ "Cyprus signs deal for Airbus attack helicopters". ABC News. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  54. ↑ "Κύπρος: Αυτά είναι τα νέα ελικόπτερα της Εθνικής Φρουράς που "τρέμουν" οι Τούρκοι [pics]". Γαργαλιάνοι Online - Οι ειδήσεις και τα νέα της Τριφυλιας, της Μεσσηνίας και της Πελοποννήσου στην ώρα τους! (in Greek). 25 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  55. 1 2 "World Air Forces 2018". Flightglobal Insight. 2018. Archived from the original on 2 December 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  56. ↑ Andreou, Evie. "Helicopters to be bought for National Guard". Cyprus Mail. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  57. ↑ "Εξοπλίζεται με drones τελευταίας τεχνολογίας από το Ισραήλ η Εθνική Φρουρά".
  58. ↑ "Current Aircraft Inventory | Cyprus Air Command". March 2017.
  59. ↑ Air Forces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. January 2024. p. 12.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.