Greece's tanks disappointed Cyprus - the Israeli solution intrigues it

Cyprus has rejected the purchase of Leopard tanks from Greece after an inspection revealed they suffer from advanced wear and are unsuitable for its needs. Nicosia is considering alternatives, including the Israeli Merkava tank, but talks have been frozen due to IDF requirements. Cyprus is facing difficulties maintaining its Russian T-80 tanks due to Western sanctions.

Cyprus has rejected the purchase of Leopard tanks from Greece, after a military delegation that inspected them reached an unequivocal conclusion that the vehicles suffer from advanced wear and are unable to provide an adequate response to the Cypriot army, even as a temporary interim solution. Therefore, there is currently no agreement between Cyprus and Greece on the transfer of the tanks, contrary to earlier reports that hinted at positive progress in the talks. The Cypriot National Guard currently operates mainly Russian-made T-80 tanks. Due to the heavy Western sanctions on Moscow and the deterioration in relations between Russia and the West, Cyprus is struggling to obtain spare parts, ammunition, and technical support for these tanks. The Greek Leopard tanks were initially considered as a natural alternative due to their widespread use in the Greek army, which could have led to cooperation in logistics, maintenance, and training. However, the poor condition of the vehicles ruled out the proposal. Efforts to obtain alternative armored platforms are encountering difficulties. Talks to purchase Israeli Merkava tanks have been frozen or have not progressed due to the pressing production needs of the IDF, amid military activity in southern Lebanon. The Merkava is considered one of the most advanced vehicles in the world, with an emphasis on crew survivability and dealing with threats such as drones. In recent years, Cyprus has expanded its defense procurement from Israel, including the BARAK MX system and radar systems, and plans for Western attack helicopters.