Cypriot National Guard

Cypriot National Guard
Εθνική Φρουρά
Kıbrıs Ulusal Muhafızları
Founded 06.1964
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant General Stylianos Nasi
Chief-of-Staff Brig. Gen. Georgios Karagiannis
Manpower
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

The Cypriot National Guard (Greek: Εθνική Φρουρά, Ethnikí Frourá; Turkish: Kıbrıs Ulusal Muhafızları), 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: Ελληνική Δύναμη Κύπρου, abbreviation: ΕΛΔΥΚ or ΕΛ.ΔΥ.Κ.), 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.

History

The National Guard was established in 1964 as a force composed entirely of ethnic Greeks, following the 1963–1964 breakdown of social and political relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots on the island of Cyprus.[1] As outlined by the tripartite Treaty of Alliance (1960)[2] and defined by the early Constitution of 1960–1963, 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

The Cypriot National Guard has been involved in multiple combat operations, all within Cyprus territory.

Conscription

Currently, only Greek Cypriots serve in the military. 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. The minimum obligatory service period is 24 months.[3] 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.

As of 2016, conscripts with a Cypriot mother and a foreign father, even if they do not have the Cypriot nationality, will have to do the full service of 24 months. Under the same rules, those born to a foreign mother and Cypriot father and who gained nationality through their father have to do the full service. The House Defence committee passed this new law in order to avoid being penalized by the European Court of Human Rights.

Camouflage Patterns

Organization

Ground component

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.

Naval Component

The Naval Component of the Cypriot National Guard is alternatively known as the "Cyprus Navy" (Greek: Ναυτική Διοίκηση Κύπρου). The force is organised into a Warships Command (with 4 Fast Patrol Boats, 3 Ramped Craft Logistics and 2 Fast Assault Boats); a Coastal Battery Command (with 24 MM40 Exocet Block-II sea-skimming missiles); a Coastal Surveillance Command (with classified integrated radar systems); and a Command of the Navy Base (Evangelos Florakis Navy Base).

The Naval Component also operates a Special Forces Sub-Command known as OYK (Under Water Demolitions Unit), the operations of which are totally classified.

Air Component

The Air Component of the Cypriot National Guard is typically referred as the Cyprus Air Command (Greek: Διοίκησης Αεροπορίας Κύπρου). The Cyprus Air Command consists of the 449 Anti-Tank Helicopter Squadron (with 4 SA-342L Gazelles and 2 Bell-206L-3s), the 450 Attack Helicopter Squadron (with 11 Mi-35PN Hind-F heavy attack helicopters, 1 PC-9 and 1 BN2B-21), the 460 Helicopter Squadron (with 3 AW-139s), and a secret UAV squadron (designation and equipment not officially acknowledged). Additionally, the Air Defence Sub-Command of the Air Force, which operates air-defence weapons, is kept secret in terms of its organisation and equipment.

Special Forces

Army

The Cyprus armed forces operate a pool of three Army Special Forces Groups (plus one auxiliary) known colloquially as LOK (Greek: ΛΟΚ - Λόχοι Ορεινών Καταδρομών, Lochoi Oreinōn Katadromōn). All LOK Groups are part of the Army Special Forces Command DKD (Greek: ΔΚΔ - Διοίκησης Καταδρομών - Diikisis Katadromon), and a soldier belonging to the Brigade is called a Raider (Greek: Kαταδρομέας, Kαταδρομείς - 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: Ο ΤΟΛΜΩΝ ΝΙΚΑ - 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 ΔΥΝΑΜΕΙΣ ΚΑΤΑΔΡΟΜΩΝ (Raider Forces). While on operation, low-visibility patches are worn.

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

Navy

The Navy has a Special Forces Group known as OYK Omada Ipovrixion Katastrofon (Greek: Ομάδα Υποβρυχίων Καταστροφών) similar to US Navy Seals "OYK" stands for Underwater demolition team in Greek.

Reserve Forces

The Republic of Cyprus is thought to possess ready reserves (first and second line reserves of fighting fitness and age) in the order of 75,000 men (some estimates of 50,000 exclude the trained and organised Home Guard or Third Line). These numbers do not include females of voluntary military experience or fighting fitness / age.

Formed reserve units in existence include six light infantry brigades (maintained at cadre strength during peacetime). Each of these brigades has three battalions with supporting command, control, communications and supply infrastructure.

Armoured Forces

The main armoured capability of the Cypriot National Guard is structured under the command of the 20th Armoured Brigade. This force includes a nominal strength of 3 tank battalions (82 T-80U MBTs and 54 AMX-30B2s) with an auxiliary unit of spare tanks (50 AMX-30s slated for phase out, to be replaced with 41 T-80Us). The XX brigade also includes a nominal strength of 3 or 4 mechanized infantry battalions, a reconnaissance battalion, a self-propelled artillery battery and a mobile air-defence battery (TOR-M1s).

The remaining armoured forces are distributed to units of mechanised infantry and self-propelled anti-tank systems deployed at the divisional and brigade level.

Military Equipment Inventory

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

See also

Sources

Creation of National Guard

Order of Battle

Armaments

Combat Actions

References

  1. ↑ Σύντομο Ιστορικό της Εθνικής Φρουράς (in Greek). Nicosia: Γενικό Επιτελείο Εθνικής Φρουράς. Retrieved 9 February 2010.
  2. ↑ Hannay, Lord (2005). Cyprus: The Search for a Solution. I.B.Tauris. pp. 31–32. ISBN 1850436657. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
  3. ↑ Barry Turner, ed. (2006). "Cyprus". The Statesman's Yearbook 2007 (143rd ed.). New York: Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 378–379. ISBN 1-4039-9276-2.

External links

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