Greece maintains F-16 presence in Cyprus and adjusts regional air defenses

The Greek Ministry of National Defence has decided to maintain a permanent rotational presence of F-16 fighter jets at the Andreas Papandreou airbase in Paphos, Cyprus. This deployment, which began following regional tensions in the Middle East, serves as part of ongoing air defense cooperation between Greece and Cyprus. While the Greek government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis described the repositioning of air defense systems as purely operational, media reports indicate that Patriot missile batteries have been withdrawn from Karpathos and Didymoteicho. These Patriot systems are being replaced in Karpathos by a pair of Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets tasked with rapid-response duties in the Aegean. Additionally, the Greek frigate Elli remains on standby in Cypriot waters, following the earlier deployment of frigates Kimon and Psara. The government has dismissed claims of a shift in military posture, emphasizing that all decisions regarding equipment movements were based on professional military assessments.