Turkish media is raising alarms about what it describes as a quiet but deliberate move by Greece to establish a permanen...

Turkish media is raising alarms about what it describes as a quiet but deliberate move by Greece to establish a permanent fighter jet presence in Cyprus, according to a report circulating in Ankara this week. The Turkish report, citing Cypriot media, claims Nicosia is pushing to deepen its defense cooperation with Athens by anchoring Greek combat aircraft at the Andreas Papandreou Air Base in Paphos. Up until now, Greek jets have rotated through the base on a temporary basis. According to the report, Cyprus wants to move away from that model toward a continuous, permanent deployment. The trigger cited in the Turkish report is a drone attack near the British base at Akrotiri in early March, which Cyprus reportedly used to argue that its Flight Information Region needs stronger air protection. The temporary rotation of Greek aircraft, the report says, is no longer seen as sufficient. Turkish media also flagged the presence of Greek Navy assets near Cyprus, specifically naming the frigate Elli (F-450). The report listed the ship's weapons systems in detail, including OTO Melara guns, a Phalanx close-in defense system, Sea Sparrow and Harpoon missiles, anti-submarine warfare capabilities, and electronic countermeasures. The report also pointed to the SOFA agreement between Cyprus and France as creating the legal framework for joint military operations, exercises, and force deployments in the region. Turkish media named exercises Argonaftis and Evnomia as examples of this expanding multinational activity. The tone of the Turkish coverage makes clear that Ankara is watching the Greece-Cyprus defense buildup closely, framing the moves as part of a broader military upgrade of the Eastern Mediterranean with Cyprus as a central hub. #Cyprus #Greece #EasternMediterranean