Cyprus has been authorised to purchase military equipment directly from the United States after joining three US defence programmes on Wednesday, January 15. These include the Foreign Military Sales (FMS), Excess Defence Articles (EDA) and Title 10 security assistance provisions.
Under the FMS programme, Cyprus can now bypass private companies and purchase military hardware directly from the US government.
This move is expected to offer cost savings, as the US typically buys military equipment in bulk, allowing for cheaper prices than those available through private sellers.
The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency described FMS as “a fundamental tool of US foreign policy,” allowing for better maintenance of equipment and enhanced training for Cyprus’ National Guard.
Cyprus is only the third country to establish a government-to-government military hardware agreement with the US, following similar agreements with Israel and Serbia.
The EDA programme provides Cyprus with surplus US military equipment at discounted or even no cost, helping modernise its forces.
Cyprus is also set to receive French Mistral surface-to-air missiles as part of the EU’s defence support package.
The move comes amid Cyprus’ shift away from Russia as a military supplier, following sanctions on Russian defence exports after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. As a result, Cyprus is increasingly turning to Western countries and Israel for its military upgrades.
Source: Cyprus Mail.
