With the exception of the marginal reduction of tanks and the imperceptible strengthening of missile launchers in the occupied territories, the numbers of both the Turkish occupation troops and the National Guard (E.However, as stated in a report by the Cyprus Centre for Strategic Studies, inherent and other problems in the TF, such as increasing maintenance requirements, difficulties in replacing obsolete equipment and international constraints, are pushing the Force into capability erosion.
However, as stated in a report by the Cyprus Centre for Strategic Studies, inherent and other problems in the TF, such as increasing maintenance requirements, difficulties in replacing obsolete equipment and international constraints, are pushing the Force into capability erosion.
These findings and conclusions result from the collection and analysis of military data and information from the opposing sides in Cyprus which are included in the Cyprus Centre for Strategic Studies (CCSMS) report on "Military Forces in Cyprus in 2022" and which is analysed and presented by the Centre's Head Dr Aristos Aristotelous.
According to a statement from the KSCM, Mr. Aristotelous points out that while Washington's measures against Turkey for the purchase of S-400 and more recently the sanctions against Russia's war industry, due to the Ukrainian issue, do not affect the occupying forces, the opposite is the case with the Cypriot National Guard. On the one hand, the US exhortations to rid the AF of Russia's weapon systems, which constitute more than 60% of the force's heavy weaponry and has already started to be implemented with the sale of Mi-35P helicopters, and on the other hand, Nicosia's compliance with EU sanctions against Russian industries, place Cyprus' defence before nightmarish challenges and dilemmas that can hardly be answered.
It should be noted, says Aristotelous, that any effort to get rid of Russian weaponry, which was not studied and planned in advance, and simply replace it, is an arduous, long-term and costly undertaking to implement. At the same time as these apparently externally imposed processes for the GEF take place, until the changes are completed and consolidated, Cyprus will falter in its defence planning and remain highly exposed to the Turkish military threat, given that during this time it will change negatively for the E.U.The numerical correlations and proportions of forces with the Occupation Forces that in 2022, according to the KSCM Report, in terms of manpower are as follows.
In the Republic of Cyprus, the manpower of the E.F. remains around 9,500. The reduced service period to 14 months from 24 months has exacerbated the already existing problems of understaffing, organization, training and administration of the Force. The number of reservists is around 48,000. The total manpower on the Republic of Cyprus side, including the ELDYK, is 58,450.
The occupation forces are 34,000. Turkish Cypriot armed forces number 3,000 and there are 26,000 reservists. The total military manpower in the occupied territories amounts to 63,000.
From the above, it is noted, it follows that for every one National Guard there are 3.6 Turkish soldiers.
In terms of total manpower, for every one soldier in the Republic of Cyprus, there are 1.08 soldiers in the occupied territories.[C][D] For every E.F. tank, there are 2.4 Turkish tanks, it is stated.
In addition, the E.F. has a total of 294 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and the Turkish forces have 492. For every 1 TOB, the AF has 1.6 Turkish TOBs.
The AF has 70 Armored Fighting Vehicles (TACVs) of which 43 (61%) are Russian BMP-3s and the occupying forces 147 about twice as many. Other Armament. In the occupying forces, all military manpower is in good mechanical and operational condition.
Air Force - Anti-Aircraft Navy
In the absence of corresponding Cypriot air and naval assets, Turkey has complete superiority in the air and at sea.
In the Air Force, without any warships at all, the only somewhat worthwhile flying assets that Cyprus has in this sector could perhaps be considered the Russian Mi-35P attack helicopters, which, however, from 2021 are in the advanced process of being sold and removed from the AF force.D
: Apart from some local defence assets, to counter the threat from the air, the TF relies entirely (100%) for short- and medium-range air defence assets on the Russian Tor M-1 and Buk M1-2 surface-to-air systems.
In the Navy, Cyprus has a number of vessels for patrols and SAR operations but apart from some Exoset missiles, there is no effective capability to counter the Turkish fleet or its illegal activities in the Cypriot EEZ.
Defence - Economy. For the same period an average of 10% per year was allocated for equipment and around 6% for maintenance.
British forces. For their operational needs in the area, in the framework of "Operation Shader", they have a squadron of 8 Tornado GR4 fighter aircraft and 6 Typhoon FGR4.
UNFICYP: The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus has increased in manpower compared to previous years, which amounts to 923 from 833 in 2021.
Source: CNA
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