Greece to make fighter jet presence in Cyprus permanent with possible switch to F-4 Phantoms

Local armyCyprus problemGreeceTop News Greece to make fighter jet presence in Cyprus permanent with possible switch to F-4 Phantoms Maxitika Pafos Relevant News Greece to make fighter jet presence in Cyprus permanent with possible switch to F-4 Phantoms 13 June 2026 Hamas network planned Cyprus attack for seven months with mastermind directing other countries from Malaysia 13 June 2026 Right lane closed on Paphos–Limassol motorway after collision near tunnel 12 June 2026 Andreas Pogiatzi 13 June 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Cyprus is seeking a permanent presence of Greek air force fighter jets at Paphos airbase as part of a deepening defence cooperation with Athens following the drone attack on RAF Akrotiri in March, according to information obtained by Phileleftheros. Nicosia wants more than the periodic rotation of Greek aircraft currently in place, seeking a stable and continuous presence to more effectively protect the Cyprus Flight Information Region against asymmetric threats from the Middle East. Greece currently has F-16 fighters stationed in Cyprus. According to the same sources, a switch to a different aircraft type is under consideration at a later stage — possibly twin-engine F-4 Phantoms. Crew rotations would continue regardless of aircraft type. The Greek military presence also serves as an operational familiarisation exercise for the Cyprus National Guard, particularly in terms of coordination, interoperability and joint operations with the Hellenic Air Force. Greek frigate to maintain permanent presence in Cyprus EEZ The same philosophy extends to naval deterrence. A Greek Navy frigate is to maintain a permanent presence in Cypriot waters for the protection and surveillance of the island’s Exclusive Economic Zone. Currently in the area is the frigate Elli (F 450), equipped with two 76mm OTO Melara naval guns, two Phalanx close-in weapon systems, Harpoon surface-to-surface guided missiles and Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles. The Elli also carries anti-submarine warfare weapons and electronic countermeasure systems. Greek naval forces will rotate to allow crew rest. Cyprus and France sign new SOFA agreement Cyprus and France have signed a new Status of Forces Agreement establishing a legal framework for joint operations, exercises and military presence on each other’s territory. The agreement covers the rights and obligations of military personnel during exercises, missions and operations; administrative, operational and logistical support; and the terms of cooperation in joint training and multinational missions. It aims to facilitate operational cooperation, strengthen interoperability and enable faster responses to joint security and defence missions. Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas said the agreement “is the culmination of the already close strategic relationship between the two countries, which is based on the Cyprus-France Strategic Partnership Agreement signed in Paris last December.” The cooperation covers naval, land and air dimensions, including joint exercises such as ARGONAUT and EUNOMIA, as well as French military presence in the region within the framework of security and surveillance missions. Read more: Cyprus and France formalise closer military cooperation with SOFA deal Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Hamas network planned Cyprus attack for seven months with mastermind directing other countries from Malaysia Right lane closed on Paphos–Limassol motorway after collision near tunnel Images and Views of Alternative Cinema Festival returns to Nicosia on June 15–21 Facebook suffers global outage as users locked out of app and website Low fertility is not women’s ‘problem’ to solve, gender institute warns Cyprus politicians Overnight pharmacies on Friday, June 12 Mobile signal hunt under way after 22-year-old vanishes on way to Kofinou factory Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.