Cypriot National Guard

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Cypriot National Guard
?????? ??????
GES Greece.gif
Founded June 1964
Service branches Cypriot ground forces
Cyprus Air Force
Cyprus Navy
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant General Georgios Mpasiakoulis[1]
Chief-of-Staff Brig. Gen. Georgios Karagiannis
Manpower
Conscription 14 months
Active personnel 12,000 + 750 paramilitary
Reserve personnel 75,000
Industry
Foreign suppliers Israel
United States
United Kingdom
Germany
Russia
Greece
France
Brazil
Related articles
History Military history of Cyprus
Ranks Military ranks of Cyprus
The Cypriot National Guard (Greek: ?????? ??????, Ethnik Frour), (Turkish: Milli
Muhafiz Ordusu), also known as the Greek Cypriot National Guard or simply as
"National Guard", is the combined arms military force of the Republic of Cyprus.
This force consists of Air, Land, Sea and Special Forces elements, and is highly
integrated with its first and second line reserves, as well as supporting civilian
agencies and paramilitary forces.

Greece currently maintains a garrison in the Republic of Cyprus under the

designation ELDYK or Hellenic Force in Cyprus (Greek: ???????? ????? ??????,
abbreviation: ????? or ??.??.?.), but this is not officially part of the Cyprus
military and primarily serves as a NATO regimental-level influence for training and
support of the National Guard.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Operational History
3 Ground Component
3.1 Current organisation
3.2 Early operational history (1963 - 1974)
3.3 Coup and invasion in 1974
3.4 Post-war revival (1974 - 2004)
4 Naval Component
4.1 Early Operational History (1963 - 1974)
4.2 Coup and Invasion in 1974
5 Air Component
5.1 Post War Revival (1974 - 2004)
5.2 European Union Member Statehood (2004 - Present)
6 Special forces
6.1 Army
6.2 Navy
7 Military Equipment Inventory
8 Gallery
9 See also
10 References
11 External links
History[edit]
The National Guard was established in 1964 as a force composed predominantly of
ethnic Greeks, following the 19631964 breakdown of social and political relations
between Greek and Turkish Cypriots on the island of Cyprus.[2] As outlined by the
tripartite Treaty of Alliance (1960)[3] and defined by the early Constitution of
19601963, Cyprus was entitled to an army of 2,000 men, to be made up of 60% Greek
and 40% Turkish personnel. The first elected President of the Republic of Cyprus,
Archbishop Makarios III, proposed thirteen constitutional amendments to the 1960
constitution, which would have adjusted distribution of manpower and voting power
for all civil and military services. This adjustment was aimed at giving greater
representation and influence to the Greek Cypriot majority, which at the time
formed around 82% of the island's indigenous population.

Operational History[edit]
The Cypriot National Guard has been involved in multiple combat operations, all
within Cyprus territory.

In 1964, Cyprus and Turkey engaged in direct confrontation during the Battle of
Tylliria, as a result of civil warfare between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
Greek Cypriot forces entered the Turkish enclave of Kokkina in an effort to
eliminate a Turkish beachhead, resulting in almost two weeks of fighting.
In 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus intervening against a military coup by the Cyprus
National Guard in Nicosia. The invasion resulted in two concentrated Turkish
offensives (Attila-1 and Attila-2) and one dispersed Greek Cypriot counter-
offensive (Aphrodite-2). Within one month, Turkish forces had captured 38% of the
island's northern area, succeeding in bisecting Nicosia and taking Kyrenia, Morphou
and Famagusta. Cypriot National Guard forces, supported by a smaller number of
Greek troops, were only able to prevent the loss of Nicosia International Airport
and the Kato Pyrgos corridor during the second Turkish offensive.
In 1978, Egyptian commando forces raided Larnaca International Airport in an effort
to seize a hijacked Greek Cypriot airliner. Greek Cypriot commando and paramilitary
forces resisted the Egyptian forces, resulting in a sustained gun battle with the
death of 12 Egyptian commandos and 3 Egyptian Air Force aircrew.
Currently, only Greek Cypriots serve in the military.[4] Legally, the Greek Cypriot
community comprises the ethnic Greek population as well as Cypriots belonging to
three Christian minorities the Armenians, Latin Rite Catholics and Maronites.
Since 2008, service is mandatory for all members of the Greek Cypriot community and
not only for ethnic Greeks. The current supreme commander is a Greek military
commander, as have been all of his predecessors.

Military service in the Republic of Cyprus is mandatory for males (Efthymiou 2016).
The obligatory service period is 14 months.[5][6] All male visitors to the island
of military age (16 and over) who have a father of Cypriot extraction are required
to obtain an exit visa from a Defence Ministry office.

The Cyprus National Guard has since 2016 aimed to move towards semi-
professionalization.[7][8] In the scope of this change, the military serviced time
was reduced from 24 months to 14 months, whilst about 3, 000 professional soldiers
were hired. Even though long wished by the public, these changes have been said to
be no more than a political expediency.[9][10] The way in which the semi-
professionalization has been conducted has been illustrated as unprofessional and
undermining the ability of the force, by academic researchers.[11][12]

Ground Component[edit]
Current organisation[edit]
The main body of the Cypriot ground forces is made up by 2 infantry divisions, 3
infantry brigades, 1 armored brigade and 1 support brigade.[13] M/K ?????????

2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade (II? M/K ????????? ??)

3rd Support Brigade (III? ????????? ??)
4th Infantry Brigade (IV? ????????? ??)
6th Mechanized Infantry Brigade (VI? M/K ????????? ??)
7th Infantry Brigade (VII? ????????? ??)
20th Armored Brigade (XX? ?? ?????????)
Hellenic Force of Cyprus - Mechanized Brigade Formation
Military Police (??????????)
Special Forces Command - 1 Regiment (???????? K????????)
Early operational history (1963 - 1974)[edit]
The Cypriot National Guard, in its existent form, was initially mobilised circa
mid-1963 as a Greek Cypriot infantry force with some small elements dedicated to
artillery, anti-armour and light armour forces. This force inherited some mixed
equipment from its pre-civil war organisation, including 54 British-made 25-pounder
gun-howitzers, 40 Marmon-Herrington Armoured Car (Mk. IVF),[14] 4 Shorland light
armoured cars, 2 Daimler Dingo light armoured cars, 5 C-17 light armoured trucks
and a variety of machine guns, mortars and a few anti-tank weapons (namely M20
Super Bazookas and a small number of PIAT weapons). The Greek Cypriots also
possessed some Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft guns,[15] along with a variety of Bedford
trucks and old US made jeeps.

The military confrontation at Kokkina in August 1964 between Greek Cypriot and
Turkish Cypriot forces saw the Greek-Cypriot force mobilised for the first time to
attempt to eliminate a fortified coastal enclave in the Tylliria region of the
island, in an effort to stop Turkish vessels putting ashore there to offload food,
weapons and ammunition for the Turkish Cypriot militia units active in that region.
[16] The attempted siege of Kokkina began on 6 August and ended on 9 August after
two days of daylight air strikes by the Turkish Air Force around Kokkina and
neighbouring Kato Pyrgos (a mountain village overlooking Kokkina which was being
used for observation and artillery fire-direction positions). Having sustained
manpower and material losses as a result of these air strikes, the Cypriot National
Guard pulled back slightly and solidified a perimeter of containment around
Kokkina, leaving the Turkish Cypriot village isolated from the rest of the island,
and buffered only a narrow UN demilitarized zone.[17]

Aware of the glaring deficiency of their military capabilities, the leadership of

the Cypriot National Guard under General George Grivas (an ultra-nationalist
commanding officer largely subordinate to the Greek Junta in Athens) was able to
compel the civilian Government of Cyprus, under Archbishop Makarios to seek out
foreign assistance for a massive armament campaign. Since Cyprus could not afford
major weapons purchases under her own depleted national budget, Makarios was forced
to dispatch an envoy on 1 October 1964 to the Soviet Union to request military
assistance. This move resulted in rapid Soviet assistance, widely regarded by
Western countries as a step towards a Cold War alliance between Cyprus and Russia.
[18]

As soon as 2324 December 1964, a Russian Navy freighter arrived at Limassol

Port[19] carrying the first batch of arms intended to re-equip the National Guard.
These supplies included 4 unidentified armoured vehicles, and 130 ZIL heavy trucks,
along with sufficient number of crates to fill 36 Bedford trucks. After this
initial delivery, arms transfers made by the Russian Navy to Cyprus accelerated,
with freighters travelling via Alexandria in Egypt to Limassol under cover of
night. These deliveries included a full package of Soviet-made radars and radio
systems to complement the structural and strategic requirements of a reinforced
National Guard. In addition, a consignment of 32 Soviet-made T-34/85 medium tanks
(from Yugoslav surplus) were delivered along with 40 BTR-152 armoured personnel
carriers,[20] as well as a batch of 30 M-1944 100mm light field howitzers,[21] 40
modern 3M6 Shmel anti-tank missile firing units, a batch of ZPU-1 14.5mm anti-
aircraft guns and a consignment of around 4500 Czech surplus AK-47s, as well as
machine guns and mortars.

After 1965, and until 1974, the civilian Government of Archbishop Makarios became
increasingly alienated by the relationship between the National Guard leadership
and the ruling military Government of Greece. Few funds were made available to
secure other armaments of technical support, and the National Guard was forced to
develop alternative means to armament and self-sustainment. A Technical Corps was
established to produce and retrofit a series of improvised armoured vehicles from
unneeded ATS-712 Soviet tractors, resulting in 10 locally produced "TS" armoured
personnel carriers.[22] A lack of spare parts meant that by the time of the 1974
military coup against Archbishop Makarios, the National Guard was experiencing
severe technical difficulties with its T-34 tanks. The problem for the National
Guard was further compounded by the refusal of Makarios' loyalist paramilitary
force to hand over some 4500 Czech automatic rifles and a variety of other weapons
which had been kept at a warehouse near Nicosia Airport, and which were handed over
to the UN in January 1972.[23]

Coup and invasion in 1974[edit]

Main article: Military operations of the Invasion of Cyprus (1974)
On 15 July 1974, the Cypriot National Guard, under its own leadership and in
conjunction with the EOKA-B ultra-nationalist organisation, overthrew the civilian
Government of Archbishop Makarios in Nicosia [24] and attempted to assassinate him
by using tanks and infantry to storm the Presidential Palace.[25] Makarios escaped,
but the confrontation in Nicosia resulted in multiple casualties as the National
Guard units engaged in a gunfight with Makarios' loyalist forces. Since Kyrenia in
the north of the island was not expected to present much armed resistance to the
coup, many forces which were stationed there to fend off a threatened Turkish
invasion were sent to Nicosia on 15 and 16 July to enforce the coup in the Capital.
Kyrenia was thus, poorly defended when the Turkish invasion began on 20 July.[25]

On 20 July 1974, Turkey commenced an air and sea invasion of northern Cyprus, under
the codename "Attila-1" which had the anticipated aim of seizing Kyrenia as a
beachhead with amphibious forces, whilst simultaneously establishing a beachhead
from Kyrenia to the northern suburbs of Nicosia (the site of two Turkish fortified
enclaves that could be used as strongholds to seize northern Nicosia) using
parachute forces. The attack was heavily supported by a daylight air campaign,
allowing Cypriot A/A flak to be suppressed to the extent that Turkish transport
planes could drop parachute forces north of Nicosia in broad daylight from 20 July
to 23 July. In disarray, the Greek Cypriot military leadership enacted the
"Aphrodite-2" defence plan to coordinate a containment and resistance to the
invasion forces. This plan, however, proved to be ineffective in either containing
or repelling the Turkish forces already ashore. At the same time, the Greek Cypriot
EOKA-B forces, subordinate to their own de facto leadership, enacted their own
interpretation of the existing Aphrodite defence plan (sometimes referred to
historically as Aphrodite-3 or Hephaestus[26]) and attacked multiple Turkish
Cypriot enclaves simultaneously, causing heavy Turkish Cypriot non-combatant
casualties and rounding up an estimated 20,000 Turkish Cypriot POWs who were
interred at Limassol until later that year.

Post-war revival (1974 - 2004)[edit]

Immediately following the 1974 conflict, the Cypriot National Guard experienced a
major depletion of its military capability due to lack of equipment and ammunition,
compounded by the wartime economic collapse of the country. A small armored unit of
11 surviving T-34/85 tanks continued to operate in service until circa 1985, albeit
in poor mechanical condition with lack of spare parts. Small numbers of other
armored vehicles (including re-engined Marmon Herrington Mk-IV F armored cars)[27]
and artillery guns from the pre-war period also continued in service until the
economic revival of the Cyprus Republic in the mid-1980s.

In the early 1980s, Cyprus sought new suppliers of arms in order to circumvent US
and European embargoes, combined with an apparent unwillingness by the Soviet Union
to supply further aid. From Brazil, a large consignment of new light armored
vehicles was ordered in 1982, 15 EE-3 Jararaca armored reconnaissance vehicles
(delivered 1984-1985), and 126 EE-9 Cascavel armored fighting vehicles (delivered
1984-1988).

Faced with an urgent need for infantry-portable air-defense equipment, the Cypriot
Government was able to procure 20 firing units of Strela-2/ SA-7B Grail anti-
aircraft missiles along with 324 live rounds from neighboring Syria in 1984.

Major arms orders were also placed with France, one of the few European powers
still willing to support weapon deliveries to Cyprus. In 1984, Cyprus purchased
from France a total of 27 VAB-VCI infantry fighting vehicles with 20mm cannon
(delivered 1985-1988) along with 100 VAB-VTT armored personnel carriers (delivered
1985-1988).

In 1987, the first batch of new French tanks were purchased to replace the T-34s
that had been removed from service - a total of 15 AMX-30B2 main battle tanks and 1
AMX-30D recovery vehicle, all delivered the following year. Also in 1987, Cyprus
purchased from France a unit of 6 SA-342L Gazelle scout anti-tank helicopters and
18 VAB-VCAC guided-missile tank-destroyers, along with 1200 HOT-2 anti-tank
missiles (interchangeable for both airborne and ground launcher platforms), all
delivered in 1988. A further 2 VAB-VTT armored personnel carriers were ordered as
options in 1987 (delivered in 1988) along with 250 MILAN-2 anti-tank missile rounds
and an unknown number of firing units (possibly 45).[28]

In 1989, the Cyprus Government ordered a batch of 35 AMX-30B2 main battle tanks and
1 AMX-30D armored recovery vehicle as part of a $115 million US dollar purchase
from France. The deal included 12 GIAT Mk F-3 self-propelled 155mm howitzers and 12
AMX-VCI armored personnel carriers. All of the equipment ordered from France in
this year was delivered from 1990-1991.[29]

In 1990, Greece supplied Cyprus with 81 ELVO Leonidas-2 (4K-7FA) armored personnel
carriers, which were fielded to provide the Greek ELDYK Army Regiment in Cyprus
with a Mechanized Infantry vehicle force. These were followed in 1996-1998 by a
batch of 52 French-made AMX-30B main battle tanks supplied from Hellenic Army
surplus, along with a further 65 new Leonidas-2 armored personnel carriers
delivered in 1996-1997.[28]

Naval Component[edit]
Early Operational History (1963 - 1974)[edit]
The Cyprus Naval Command became active circa 1963, following the outbreak of civil
conflict between extremists within the Greek and Turkish ethnic communities of the
island. At the outset of operational status, the Cyprus Naval Command was manned by
Greek Navy officers and junior officers, whilst the sailors were primarily Greek
Cypriot conscripts of educated backgrounds. The first equipment made available to
the Cyprus Naval Command was a set of three ex-German WW2-era R-boats (two of the
R-151 class called P-01 Arion and P-02 Phaethon, and one of the R-218 class under
the name Dedalos). All three vessels were in service by August 1964, having been
purchased from a shipyard in Piraeus, Greece by a private sponsor named A.
Leventis. The three vessels were in poor condition due to their age, and had to be
refurbished in Greece before delivery to Cyprus.[30]

On 6 August 1964, the Cypriot National Guard was mobilised to intervene in the
ongoing inter-ethnic confrontation at Kokkina, a Turkish-Cypriot controlled
fortified enclave on the south-western edge of Morphou Bay in the north-west of the
island. By this stage, the Cypriot National Guard was effectively a Greek Cypriot
security force, which by virtue of its commander, General George Grivas, was
subordinate to Athens (in Greece) and not to Nicosia (in Cyprus).[31]

Kokkina was regarded by Grivas as a major coastal beachhead for Turkey to land
weapons in Cyprus, with the aim of arming the Turkish Cypriots. For this reason, he
persuaded the military government in Athens to authorise an all-out assault on
Kokkina, with the aim of eliminating the beachhead, and preventing more weapons
being delivered to Turkish Cypriot militia groups.[31]

As a necessity of mounting such an assault, Grivas required a naval presence off

the coast of Kokkina, in order to bombard the enclave from the sea, and to prevent
any other shipping from interfering. Consequently, the Phaethon and the Arion were
utilised in the assault and commenced their assault with broadsides of 40mm and
20mm gunfire into the enclave on 6 August. This action was coordinated with battery
fire from six land-based 25-pounder guns and around a dozen mortars used by ground
forces[32] to besiege the enclave from the south and south-west.

The siege continued until 8 August, when the Turkish Government opted to intervene
with air strikes,[33] as it became clear to all parties that Kokkina's defences
were likely to collapse, regardless of a UN presence in the area. The Turkish Air
Force dispatched a number of formations of F-100 Super Sabres to commence air
strikes against the Cypriot ground and naval forces, in broad daylight and flying
at low level.

The first formation of F-100 Super Sabres spotted the Phaethon near to a small
fisheries harbour west of Kokkina. The Phaethon commenced evasive manoeuvres and
put up 20mm cannon fire, but was struck in the engines by strafing rockets and
exploded into flames, killing seven of her crew. One of the four survivors then
piloted the ship with a single functioning engine to run aground next to the
harbour, so that the crew could be recovered by local fishermen. The Phaethon was
then gutted by flames, rendering it a wreck.

Minutes after the attack on the Phaethon, a second formation of F-100s spotted the
Cypriot gunboat Arion further up the coast towards Kokkina. The Arion was strafed
with guns and rockets, causing superficial damage. As the Arion successfully made
her escape using evasive manoeuvres, an F-100C Super Sabre, piloted by Cpt. Cengiz
Topel of 112 Filo [34] was shot down by a Cypriot 40mm anti-aircraft gun
emplacement on the shoreline.

The loss of the Phaethon was a severe shock to the National Guard leadership, and
was compounded by further casualties and material losses at Kato Pyrgos,[35] a
nearby Greek Cypriot village which was bombarded on 8 and 9 August in an effort to
dislodge National Guardsmen using its hilltops for directing artillery fire with
radios.

A scramble for arms featured prominently throughout 1964, as the Cypriot National
Guard compelled the civilian Government to solicit Soviet support.[36] In early
1964, the Greek Cypriots acquired a large package of radars, communications and
logistical support apparatus for SA-2F Guideline surface-air missiles,[37] and only
a NATO blockade of Limassol in 1965 prevented the live missile rounds and their
TELs from being delivered.[38] With no effective air-defence measure in place, the
Greek Cypriots utilised the radars at one western and one eastern coastal mountain
points in the Petedaktylos Mountains stretching across the north of the island.
These radars provided both air and surface tracking capability for aircraft and
shipping.[39]

In late 1964, it was reported that Greek Cypriot Naval crews had been sent to Egypt
to train on Soviet Komar class fast attack craft. Western media sources assumed
that Cyprus was being prepared to receive Komar class vessels, although Cyprus
eventually chose cheaper naval vessels in the form of six P-4 Skinhead motor
torpedo boats (MTBs).[36]

In February 1965, the Cyprus Naval Command entered the six MTBs into service under
the naval pennants 20 to 25, and the designations T-1, -2, -3, -4, -5 and -6. These
vessels were extremely fast and could be used to attack Turkish warships and
landing vessels in littoral waters using a pair of 533mm torpedoes. In addition,
each vessel mounted a twin 25mm general-purpose A/A gun. These were all stationed
at a purpose-built naval squadron base at Boghazi, named Base Chrysulis.

In 1970, the P-01 Arion was renamed "Leventis" in honour of a private sponsor who
paid for the refurbishment of the vessel. The Leventis was given the new pennant
"15". Her sister ship, P-03 Dedalos, was removed from the Navy list in 1971.

At some point in 1973, the T-5 motor torpedo boat (No.24) was removed from Navy
lists and disarmed. She was stripped of useful materials, and left as a hulk at
Naval Base Chrysulis.[40] Around the same time, three Type-108 motor torpedo boats
of unknown designation were delivered from Yugoslavia, but did not enter active
service and were laid up at Boghazi.

Just prior to the Turkish invasion of Northern Cyprus in 1974, the Cyprus
Government ordered two Esterel-32L fast patrol boats from France. These were
embargoed as a result of the conflict, and would be delivered to Greece instead in
1975.

Coup and Invasion in 1974[edit]

On 15 July 1974, EOKA-B and elements of the Cyprus National Guard overthrew the
legitimate President, Archbishop Makarios and replaced him with Nikos Sampson.
Makarios escaped an initial attempt to capture him at the Archbishiporic in
Nicosia, and fled to Paphos. The naval patrol vessel Leventis (No.15) was quickly
dispatched to Paphos to begin shelling a radio station there which was being
operated by pro-Makarios elements. On 20 July 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus in a
surprise-attack, without issuing a declaration of war. A naval force of Turkish
vessels was detected by coastal radar at Apostolos Andreas approaching the coast,
and a second force of naval vessels was sighted off the coast of Kyrenia during the
early hours. The Cyprus National Guard Naval Command quickly ordered its two motor
torpedo boats, T-1 (under the command of Lieutenant Junior Grade Nicolaos Verikios)
and T-3 (under the command of Lieutenant Elefterios Tsomakis), both based at
Kyrenia, to attack the Turkish flotilla directly. Both vessels were promptly sunk
by combined air and sea attack. The rest of the Cyprus Navy vessels were scuttled
by their own crews at Naval base "Chrysulis" in Boghazi on 14 August 1974. After
the conflict, two boats were re-floated by Turkish troops and transferred to Golcuk
Naval Museum, Turkey (on display with incorrect pennant numbers 11 and 12).

Air Component[edit]
Main article: Cyprus Air Forces
Post War Revival (1974 - 2004)[edit]
In June 1987, the Cyprus National Guard Air Command purchased a batch of six
Aerospatiale SA-342L Gazelle scout anti-tank helicopters with 1200 Euromissile HOT-
2 wire-guided anti-tank missiles (the interchangeable live rounds to be shared with
the Army for use on their VAB-VCAC tank destroyers). The six aircraft were
delivered from January 1988 onward, and were issued the serial numbers 351, 352,
353, 354, 355 and 356,[41][42] drawn from Aerospatiale 21XX and 22XX series
construction numbers.[43] Of these aircraft, five examples (excluding 351) have
been noted in regular use with the Cyprus National Guard airborne forces,
suggesting number 351 had been withdrawn for use as spare parts, or as a technical
training air frame, prior to 2004.[43] The Gazelles were delivered in a three-tone
desert camouflage consisting of light sand, dark sand and drab-olive tones - this
camouflage has been retained to the present day. All aircraft utilize a low-
visibility Cyprus flag fin-flash and a low-visibility Hellenic Air Force styled
roundel marking at the midsection of the tail boom. The designation SA-342L is
inscribed above the fin flash, along with the three-digit serial number.

In 2001 - 2002, Cyprus discreetly acquired 12 new-build examples (serial numbers

811 - 822 inclusively)[44] of the Mil Mi-35P Hind-F attack helicopter type from the
Russian Federation, following a lengthy tender process which included reported
competition from the Mil Mi-28 Havoc,[45] and Denel Rooivalk.[46] The helicopters
were first made public at a surprise three-ship flypast of the funeral of Lt
General Evangelos Florakis on 12 July 2002[47] (himself killed in the crash of
Cypriot Air Command Bell-206L Long Ranger "112" [48] on 10 July 2002 whilst
observing a command and control exercise at night). The Mi-35s were initially
supplied in an unusual matt-black (and presumably infra-red absorbent)
camouflage[49] suitable for night operations, but lacked the optional FLIR turret
and identification friend-or-foe systems made available for the more advanced
Russian Mi-24PN. Aside from their monotone camouflage, the aircraft carried a
small, high-contrast Cyprus Republic tail fin flag, and a high visibility Hellenic
Air Force styled blue-on-white roundel on the tail at the midpoint. Bright red
danger markings were applied to the rotor tips and to the end of the tail boom.[50]

The Cypriot Mi-35 helicopters were initially equipped for the deployment of fixed-
mount 30mm heavy cannon, and a capacity for 80mm (3.1 inch) S-8 rockets in AP and
HE-FRAG configurations, as well as for anti-tank missiles in the 9K114 and 9M120
versions.

European Union Member Statehood (2004 - Present)[edit]

On 10 September 2005, National Guard Pilatus PC-9M turboprop aircraft "902" crashed
into a church bell tower while performing an unauthorized flight maneuver near
Kollossi in Limassol Cyprus, having deviated 80 km from the planned flight path.
The aircraft was destroyed, and its two pilots killed.[51]

On 5 July 2006, a National Guard Mi-35P Hind attack helicopter (serial number 822)
[52] crashed[53] near the Paphos-Limassol motorway shortly after departing from
Andreas Papandreou Air Base in Paphos. The aircraft was written off and both crew
members (a Russian instructor and Cypriot student) killed.

The SA-342L Gazelle anti-tank helicopter force remains in service to present day,
although example 356 is no longer thought to be operational. The four remaining
Gazelle anti-tank helicopters are thought to have undergone an overhaul, reportedly
completed in August 2014 at Valence-Chabeuil airport by Aerotec Group.[54][55] The
four Gazelle helicopters remain assigned to 449 MAE 1st Platoon, which has been
moved to Andreas Papandreou Air Base (in Paphos district) following the closure of
Lakatamia air base (in Nicosia district) in April 2013.[56]

Special forces[edit]
Army[edit]
The Cyprus armed forces operate a pool of three Army Special Forces Groups (plus
one auxiliary) known colloquially as LOK (Greek: ??? - ????? ??????? ?????????,
Lochoi Oreinon Katadromon). All LOK Groups are part of the Army Special Forces
Command DKD (Greek: ??? - ????????? ????????? - Diikisis Katadromon), and a
soldier belonging to the Brigade is called a Raider (Greek: K?????????, K??????
??? - Katadromeas, Katadromeis). Cyprus Special Forces training is based closely
on their Greek Counterparts.

All members of the Brigade wear the unit insignia depicting a winged sword,
representative of the "deadly, silent and swift" nature of special forces
operations. A scroll runs across the sword and wings with the motto Who Dares Wins
(Greek: ? ?????? ???? - O Tolmon Nika), a tribute to the Free Greek Special Forces
that served with the 1st Special Air Service (1 SAS) Brigade during World War II.
The unit flash is emblazoned with ???????? ?????????? (Raider Forces). While on
operation, low-visibility patches are worn.

All Raiders wear the green beret with the national emblem on the left.

Navy[edit]
The Navy has a Special Forces Group known as OYK Omada Ypovrixion Katastrofon
(Greek: ???? ????????? ???????????). Similar to US Underwater Demolition Team,
which "OYK" stands for in Greek.

Military Equipment Inventory[edit]

Main article: List of military equipment of Cyprus
Land Component

Main Battle Tanks

With 125mm Armament T-80 82 Active
With 105mm Armament AMX-30B2 52 Active
Armoured Fighting Vehicles
With 100mm Armament BMP-3 43 Active
With 90mm Armament EE-9 Cascavel 67 Active
With 20mm Armament VAB-VCI 27 Active
Armoured Personnel Carriers
With 12.7mm Armament Leonidas 2 197 Active
With 12.7mm Armament VAB 126 Active
Anti-Tank Guided Missile Vehicles
With MILAN Missile EE-3 Jararaca 15 Active
With HOT Missile VAB-VCAC 18 Active
Self Propelled Artillery
155mm Howitzer ZUZANA 12 Active
155mm Howitzer Mk F3 12 Active
122mm MRLS BM-21 4 Active
Towed Artillery
155mm Howitzer TRF1 12 Active
105mm Howitzer Mod-56 54 Active
100mm Howitzer M1944 20 Active
128mm MRLS M-63 Plamen 18 Active
Missile Systems
Anti-Air TOR M1 6 Active
Anti-Air BUK 4 Active
Anti-Ship MM40 4 Active
Gallery[edit]

National Guard soldier with the G3A3 rifle (Cypriot National Guard Camouflage)

LOK officers marching at Republic Fest Military Parade in Italy, 2007

LOK raiders at a welcoming ceremony of Dmitry Medvedev

Mi-35 of Cypriot Air Force

Bell-206L3 of Cypriot Air Force

See also[edit]
Armoured vehicles of the Cypriot National Guard
Battle of Pentemili beachhead (1974)
Battle of Tylliria (Cyprus 1964)
British Forces Cyprus
Cyprus Air Forces
Cyprus Civil Defence
Cyprus Joint Rescue Coordination Center
Cyprus Police
Cyprus Port & Marine Police
List of Minister of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus
Military Equipment of Cyprus
Military operations during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus
Reported Military Losses during the Invasion of Cyprus (1974)
Timeline of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot Security Force
References[edit]
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External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cypriot National Guard.
National Guard website
Cyprus Country Study
How to become a cadet officer - ?????? ??????? ??????????
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Categories: Military of Cyprus1964 establishments in CyprusMilitary units and
formations established in 1964
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