Cyprus Air Forces

Air Command of Cyprus Διοίκηση Αεροπορίας Κύπρου
Active	1200
Country	Cyprus
Branch	Air Force
Size	20 Helicopters, 2 Systems of UAVs and 2 Fixed Wing
Part of	Cypriot National Guard
Commanders
Current commander	Βrigadier general Gabriel Dimitriou
Insignia
Fin Flash
Air Wing Roundel
Low visibility Air Wing Roundel

The Cyprus Air Command (Greek: Διοίκησης Αεροπορίας Κύπρου, Turkish: Kıbrıs Hava Kuvvetleri) is the armed air wing of the National Guard. This force does not have any fixed wing combat aircraft, but is equipped with attack and anti-tank helicopters, surface-to-air missile and integrated radar systems, as well as Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).

As of 2012^[update] the Cyprus Air Force consists of two helicopter-squadrons along with a UAV squadron equipped with IAI Searcher 2 unmanned aerial vehicles. The Cyprus Air Force also possesses a Search and Rescue Coordination Centre, which is due to equip with its own aircraft. Note that the aircraft of the Cyprus Police operate under a separate command-structure during peacetime.

Note: In an emergency, Cypriot military and paramilitary aircraft can operate from Paphos and Larnaca international airports, as well as from prepared stretches of motorway equipped with landing zones and with paved operating-areas.

Emblem of 450th Helicopter Squadron.

Emblem of Search & Rescue Coordination Centre.

On 22 October 2000, TOR-M1 air-defence batteries operated by the Cyprus National Guard at Papandreou Air Base tracked a pair of Turkish warplanes detected approaching the air base by "locking-on" to them The action of engaging the Turkish aircraft with radar forced the warplanes to retreat from the area, as Greek Cypriot and Greek forces conducted joint military manoeuvres in the Paphos region. The incident prompted an angry outburst from the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktaş, who was reported in the media to have condemned the radar lock-on as a provacation that could lead to war.

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Wikipedia