Cyprus signs deal for Israeli-built patrol boat and system upgrades
The agreement includes the construction of a new offshore patrol vessel and the modernization of an existing ship, with a reported value near 100 million dollars.
By Jasmine Carter ·
Israel and Cyprus reached a formal agreement on Monday to acquire a new offshore patrol vessel for the Cypriot navy. The deal was finalized in Cyprus by officials from both defense ministries, marking a concrete step in expanding their military hardware exchange.
Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amir Baram, Director General of the Israeli Defense Ministry, and Stelios Kountouris, acting permanent secretary of the Cyprus Defense Ministry, signed the documents. The agreement was negotiated by the International Defense Cooperation Directorate in Israel and the Armaments and Defense Capabilities Development Directorate in Cyprus.
The contract requires Israel Shipyards to build the new vessel. It will be fitted with a range of naval systems manufactured by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. Under the same terms, the systems on the existing offshore patrol vessel, the IOANNIDES, will undergo an upgrade.
The signing ceremony included Brig.-Gen. (res.) Yair Kulas, Head of the International Defense Cooperation Directorate, and Ambassador Shuli Davidovich. Representatives from the industry also attended, including Eitan Zucker, CEO of Israel Shipyards, and Ran Tavor, Head of the Naval Warfare Systems Directorate at Rafael.
The Israeli Defense Ministry stated that the new ship and the upgraded IOANNIDES will support expanded patrol, surveillance, and search-and-rescue missions. The ministry described the move as a step to strengthen the operational capabilities of the Cyprus Naval Command.
Cyprus received its first Israeli-built offshore patrol vessel, the Commodore Andreas Ioannides, in 2018. That ship was equipped with Rafael Typhoon naval weapon stations. The country has also purchased the Barak MX air-defense system and Spike LR2 anti-tank missiles from Israel in previous transactions.
The value of the new naval agreement was not disclosed in the official announcement. However, the Israeli financial news outlet Calcalist reported that the proposed package is worth approximately 100 million dollars.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
