NICOSIA: Researchers from the US Air Force are looking at ways to improve Cyprus ‘ leading heat center for use as a charitable staging post in future activities in the Middle East, a Cypriot official told The Associated Press Thursday.
Cyprus, which is only 184 kilometers ( 114 miles ) from the Lebanese capital, Beirut, has acted as a transit point for the repatriation of foreign nationals fleeing conflict in the Middle East and beyond on numerous occasions in the past. It has also served as a transit point for charitable assistance to Gaza.
Researchers from the 435th emergency response team based out of Ramstein, Germany will spend the next few days at Andreas Papandreou air force base to determine the switch needed to accommodate a wide array of US heat assets and another forces.
A key objective is to maintain heat traffic safety in and around the foundation, which abuts the planet’s second-largest human airport, the official said. The facility’s location makes it easy to transport evacuees onto civil plane at the opposite airport for their trip home.
The official spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he’s never authorized to speak publicly about the specifics of the researchers ‘ visit.
Air traffic security would need to be enhanced through innovative high-tech installations, including state-of-the-art detector, to ensure the independent function of civil and military aviation at safe distance.
” The Americans are very particular on security issues and want to make some modifications to further improve the facility’s health,” the official said.
Another important upgrades include expanding both the basic itself and the airport to provide more travel and fighter aircraft. Hardened shelters to protect those air assets are also envisioned.
The Cyprus government agreed to the air base upgrade assessment following the recent deployment of a US marine contingent at the base. The marines, who were equipped with V-22 Osprey tiltrotor military transport and cargo aircraft, were on stand-by in the event of a swift evacuation of US citizens from nearby Lebanon during Israel’s strikes against Hezbollah targets late last year.
Deputy government spokesman Yannis Antoniou told the state broadcaster Thursday that any use of the base by the forces of the US or other nations would require prior Cyprus government approval. He insisted the air base would not act as a forward base for military strike operations against targets in the region.
” We’ve shown interest in working with ( US forces ) because we consider this to serve the vital interests of the Cyprus Republic,” Antoniou said, adding that in their report, the USAF experts will offer an estimate of the upgrade costs and which percentage of those the US government would be willing to cover.
Bilateral relations between European Union member Cyprus and the US, especially in terms of military cooperation, have grown significantly over the last few years following a pledge by Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides to affirm the ethnically divided country’s” clear Western orientation. “
A manifestation of those ties was last week’s directive by former President Joe Biden that allows Cyprus to buy arms from the US government and get surplus American military equipment.
The Cypriot government noted the development as a tangible acknowledgment of Cyprus ‘ reliability as a US partner in the region.
