The
Cypriot National Guard (Greek Εθνική Φρουρά -
Turkish Kıbrıs Ulusal
Muhafızları ) , also known as the Greek Cypriot
National Guard, is the combined
arms military force of the Republic of Cyprus
comprising land, air, and naval elements.
The CNG consists of active duty, reserve and militia
personnel.
Greece
maintains
the Hellenic Forces
Regiment ( ) on the island, but this is not part of the
Republic of Cyprus military.
History
The
Cypriot National Guard was
established in 1964
as a force composed entirely of ethnic Greek Cypriots, following the 1963-1964
breakdown of social and political relations between Greek and Turkish
Cypriots on the island of Cyprus.
Under the early
Constitution of 1960 -
1963, Cyprus was entitled to an army of 2000 men, to be made up of
60% Greek and 40% Turkish manpower.
The first elected President of the Republic of Cyprus
, Archbishop
Makarios III, proposed thirteen constitutional ammendments 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.
Significant combat actions were seen between the Cyprus National
Guard and Turkish Cypriot combatants during this period, as the
country slid into a state of civil-war. Sporadic low-intensity
conflict continued during parts of this period between Greek
Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot armed elements across the island.
Conscription
Currently, only
citizens of the Republic
of Cyprus serve in the military. The Greek Cypriot community
comprises the ethnic Greek Cypriots as well as Cypriots belonging
to three Christian religious minorities such as
Latin/Catholic,
Maronite and
Armenian. Since 2008, service is mandatory
for all members of the Greek Cypriot community and not only for
ethnic Greek Cypriots. 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. 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.
Organization
Ground component
The main body of the Cypriot ground forces is made up by 2 infantry
divisions, 1 infantry and 1 armored brigades and 2 support
brigades.
- 1st Infantry Division (Ιη Μεραρχία ΠΖ)
- 2nd Infantry Division (ΙΙα Μεραρχία ΠΖ)
- 4th Infantry Brigade (ΙVη Ταξιαρχία ΠΖ)
- 20th Armored Brigade (ΧΧη ΤΘ Ταξιαρχία)
- 3rd Support Brigade (ΙΙΙη Ταξιαρχία ΥΠ)
- 8th Infantry Brigade (VIIIη Ταξιαρχία ΠΖ)
- Special Forces Command (Διοίκηση Kαταδρόμων)
- Artillery Command (Διοίκηση Πυροβολικού)
- Military Police (Στρατονομία)
Image: Ist_infantry_division.gif|Emblem of 1st Infantry
Division.Image: IInd_infantry_division.gif|Emblem of 2nd Infantry
Division.Image: IVth_infantry_brigade..gif|Emblem of 4th Infantry
Brigade.Image: XXth_armored_brigade.gif|Emblem of 20th Armored
Brigade.Image: IIIrd_support_brigade.gif|Emblem of 3rd Support
Brigade.Image: VIIIth_infantry_brigade.gif|Emblem of 8th Infantry
Brigade.Image: Special_forces_command.gif|Emblem of Special Forces
Command.Image: Artillery_command.gif|Emblem of Artillery
Command.Image: Military_police.gif|Emblem of Military Police.
Small Arms Inventory
The Cypriot National Guard operates a number of Assault Rifles such
as
HK G3A3 as a standard
service rifle, various Kalashnikov series and variants including
AK-47,
AK-74M,
AKMS and
AK-101 and
Zastava M77 for training purposes. The
HK G3A4 is operated by Special Forces
including its variant G3A4ZF with mounted ZF-24 scope. Support
weapons include the
HK11A1 Squad Automatic
Weapon, the
MG3 General-purpose machinegun
(GPMG) and the recently purchased
FN
Minimi Squad Automatic Weapon for Special Forces use. Special
Forces also operate the
HK
G3-SG1 Sniper Rifle, the
Kefefs-M
Greek-manufactured Sniper Rifle and
FN P90
Personal Defense Weapon often mounted with suppressors, laser
target designators and tactical flashlights. In addition, the
following sidearms are also in use of the military (especially SF
and Officers):
Glock 17,
HK USP,
FN Five-seven
and
Zastava M57.
Medium Arms Inventory
Man-portable anti-tank weapons include the 112 mm
APILAS, 85 mm
RPG-7 and the
90 mm
EM-69. The Cypriot National Guard
also operates a variety of mortars ranging from 60 mm -
120 mm calibre, as well as SK
AGL and HK
GMG 40 mm automatic grenade launchers and
the
M2 Browning .50cal machine
gun.
Heavy Arms Inventory
The Cypriot National Guard currently operates a force of 154 main
battle tanks, made up of French
AMX-30 and
Russian
T-80 types, with a further 41 T-90 main
battle tanks from Russia on order plus a pre-agreement for a future
41 more T-80s. This force is augmented in the frontline role by 124
EE-9 Cascavel and 43
BMP-3 armoured fighting vehicles. A sizeable force of
Leonidas and VAB-VTT APCs, as well as
VAB-VCI armoured fighting vehicles are also in service. The
anti-tank role is augmented by 18 VAB-VCAC guided-missile
tank-destroyers and 15
EE-3 Jararaca
armoured fighting vehicles.
Air component
Mil Mi-35 attack helicopter.
The air component of the military of
Cyprus is the Air Command which currently consists of 2 helicopter
squadrons equipped with 11
Mil Mi-35P attack
helicopters, 4
SA-342L
Gazelle scout anti-tank helicopters, 2
Bell-206 Long Ranger utility helicopters, 1
Britten Norman BN.2B-21 Maritime
Defender and 1
PC-9 patrol
airplanes, along with
UAV squadron equipped with
Elbit Hermes 450 Unmanned aerial
vehicles. The Cyprus Air Force is also due to receive three
Agusta-Westland AW-139 CSAR helicopters.
- 449th Antitank Helicopter Squadron (Μοίρα Αντιαρματικών
Ελικοπτέρων)
- 450th Helicopter Squadron (Μοίρα Ελικοπτέρων)
Naval component
The naval component of the military of
Cyprus is the Naval Command. This force does not possess any
capital ships, but is equipped with
patrol boats, surface-surface
missilesystems and integrated
radarsystems, as well as SEALs-type naval underwater
demolitions units.
The Cyprus Navy has the primary mission of
defending the sea borders of the Republic of
Cyprus, but is currently only able to access waters around the
island which are controlled by the Republic of Cyprus.
Sources
Creation of National Guard
Order of Battle
- "Cyprus, 1974", by T. Cooper and N. Tselepidis, published
October 28 2003 for ACIG.org.
Armaments
- Cyprus
National Guard Official Site
- Table 23, Republic of Cyprus: Major National Guard Equipment,
1990, Library of Congress (Additional sourcing: Based on
information from The Military Balance, 1989- 1990, London, 1989,
85; and Christopher F. Foss, "Cypriot Rearmament Completed," Jane's
Defence Weekly [London], March 12, 1988, 445.)
- APORRITOS ATILLAS, Savvas Vlassis
- "1974: The Unknown Backstage of the Turkish Invasion", Makarios
Drousiotis, Nicosia 2002, ISBN 9963-631-02-9
- Cyprus 1974 - The Greek coup and the Turkish invasion, Makarios
Drousiotis, Hellenic Distribution Agency
- Conway's: All The World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995
- Erich Gröner "Die Deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815-1945", Band 2,
Munchen 1983, ISBN 3-7637-4801-6
- Cyprus, 1955-1973 By Tom Cooper, www.acig.org
- Cyprus 100 Years Alex Efthyvoulou, Laiki Cultural Bank
Archive
- British
Pathe Archive
Combat Actions
- The
Cyprus Conflict
- "1974: The Unknown Backstage of the Turkish Invasion", Makarios
Drousiotis, Nicosia 2002, ISBN 9963-631-02-9
- Cyprus 1974 - The Greek coup and the Turkish invasion, Makarios
Drousiotis, Hellenic Distribution Agency
- Cyprus, 1955-1973 By Tom Cooper, www.acig.org
See also
References
- www.army.gov.cy (Cyprus National Guard Official Website)
- Gourley, S.; Kemp, I (November 2003). "The Duellists". Jane's
Defence Weekly (ISSN: 02653818), Volume 40 Issue 21, pp 26-28.
- Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's
Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). ISBN
978-0710628695.
- Кипр собирается приобрести российские танки T-90
(Cyprus planning to purchase Russian T-90 tanks) - Russian Weapon
website (in russian)
- • Table 23, Republic of Cyprus: Major National Guard Equipment,
1990, Library of Congress (Additional sourcing: Based on
information from The Military Balance, 1989- 1990, London, 1989,
85; and Christopher F. Foss, "Cypriot Rearmament Completed," Jane's
Defence Weekly [London], March 12, 1988, 445.)
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