Military of Cyprus

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Military of Cyprus
Military manpower
Military age	18 years of age
Availability	males 15-49:184,352 (2005 est.)
Fit for military service	males 15-49: 150,750 (2005 est.)
Reaching military age annually	males 6,578 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures
Dollar figure	$294 million (FY03)
Percent of GDP	3.8% (FY02)

The Military of Cyprus comprises the Cypriot National Guard, a combined arms force with land, naval and air elements.

Greece maintains the Hellenic Forces Regiment on Cyprus (ELDYK) on the island, but this is not part of the Republic of Cyprus military.

This article focuses on the forces loyal to the de jure government of Cyprus. For information on the military capabilities of the de facto Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, see Turkish Military Forces in Northern Cyprus.

1 Conscription
2 Equipment
3 Small Arms
4 Combat Vehicles
5 Air Force
6 Navy and Coast Guard
7 See also
8 References

[edit] Conscription

See main article: Conscription in Cyprus

Military service in the Republic of Cyprus is mandatory for males. The minimum obligatory service period is 25 months.^[1]

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.

[edit] Equipment

The United States has an arms embargo on any recent US weapons being used by either side. The Greek Cypriot side was recently criticised for breaching this embargo by acquiring M107, M110A2 and M114 howitzers (subsequently returned) from the Greek National Army.

The Turkish Cypriot side, which controls approximately 37% of the island, has also been heavily criticised for numerous breaches of the embargo as 95% of its military hardware is of US origin (still not returned) compared to 3-5% of the Republic.

Standard infantry equipment used in Cyprus is the Heckler & Koch G3 and the AK-74 automatic rifles, both by Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot Forces.

[edit] Small Arms

Heckler & Koch G3 assault rifles
AK-74 assault rifles
AK-101 assault rifles

[edit] Combat Vehicles

[edit] Main Battle Tanks

113 AMX 30 - AMX-30 and AMX30B2
41 T-80 - T-80U and T-80UK
61 M48 Patton - M48A5 Patton, belonging to the Greek Army, stationed in Cyprus

[edit] Armoured Fighting Vehicles

43 BMP-3
20 VAB-VCI
18 VAB-VCAC (UTM-800 HOT Missile Launcher)
15 EE-3 Jararaca (Milan / MG)
124 EE-9 Cascavel

[edit] Armoured Personnel Carriers

141 ELBO Leonidas-2 (APC designed and manufactured by ELBO in Greece)
70 VAB-VTT

[edit] Self-Propelled Artillery

12 ShKH Zuzana
12 AMX-13 Mk F3

[edit] Towed Artillery

12 TRF1
72 OTO Melara Mod 56 (M-56 Pack)
? M101 howitzer
20 M1944

[edit] Air Defense

6 SA-15 Gauntlet
12 Skyguards - 24 launchers approx 130 Selenia Aspide missiles, plus Oerlikon 35 mm guns
30 Mistral - 12 twin and 18 single launchers
? SA-17 Grizzly
? ZU-23-2 guns - belong to the Greek Army, stationed in Cyprus
? M-55 guns- Yugoslavian made

[edit] Rocket Launchers

18 BM-21 Grad
24 M-63 LRSV

[edit] Anti-tank

45 MILAN
18 HOT - on VAB vehicles . Also at 4 SA-342 Gazelle helicopters
1000 APILAS
450 RPG-7

[edit] Air Force

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service^[2]
Aérospatiale SA 342 Gazelle	France	scout helicopter	SA 342L	4
Bell 206B JetRanger	United States	utility helicopter	206B	2
Britten-Norman Islander	United Kingdom	utility	BN-2B	1
Mil Mi-35PM-1 Hind-E	Russia	attack helicopter	Mi-35PM-1	11
Pilatus PC-9	Switzerland	trainer		1

In addition three aircraft are operated on police and paramilitary duties:

[edit] Navy and Coast Guard

The Cyprus Navy is equipped with CNV P-190 fast patrol craft, Salamis class patrol craft, Kyrenia class patrol craft and SAB-12 fast attack craft.

The Cyprus Coast Guard is equipped with CNV P-190 fast patrol craft, Evagoras class patrol craft, Kingfisher class fast patrol craft and Kimon class fast patrol craft.

Both services also utilize Nautimar HD-7 and other types of dual-engine rigid-inflatable boats.

The Cyprus Navy has a Special Forces underwater demolitions unit known as "OYK".

Also the Navy has 3 Exocet MM40 launchers for coastal defence and 24 missiles in inventory.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

^ "Cyprus". The Statesman's Yearbook 2007 (143rd). (2006). Ed. Barry Turner. New York: Palgrave Macmillian. 378–379. ISBN 1-4039-9276-2.
^ "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15, 2007.

Military of Cyprus
Cypriot National Guard

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