Monday marked an important milestone for the National Guard, said force chief Lieutenant General Emmanuel Theodorou, as it demonstrated that Cyprus can produce technologically advanced defence systems capable of competing internationally.

Speaking at a ceremony in Mosfiloti’s Patroklos Kokkinos Camp for the National Guard’s receipt of two Poseidon H10 UAVs and a command-and-control system from Swarmly Ltd, Theodorou expressed particular joy over the receipt of these systems.

He expressed warm thanks to the company’s management and staff for their “valuable” offer, which “constitutes a significant investment in national security and practical proof of the possibility of domestic production of defence systems and the prospective growth of the Cypriot defence industry”.

He said that the Poseidon drone “is already being utilised in real conditions on the Ukrainian front and has met the requirements of a modern, high-intensity operational environment”.

Referring to the role of the new systems, Theodorou said that “in modern operational reality, the power of artillery is not determined only by calibre or range, but by the ability to quickly and accurately target and access real-time information”.

Integrating Poseidon into the artillery observation unit advances exactly that capability, he added.

Theodorou emphasised that “today is of particular importance because it confirms that Cyprus can produce technologically advanced solutions, competitive at an international level and claim a role in the innovation and defence technology ecosystem”.

“However,” he said, “the most important thing for us is the recognition of the very serious work of the National Guard and the willingness of organisations and individuals to contribute, to the extent that each is capable, to its improvement through small actions of great added value”.

He also assured that the systems “will be utilised to the maximum, strengthening the mission and operational effectiveness of the Artillery Command and the National Guard as a whole”.

Artillery chief Colonel Costas Pavlides said the event was “not just a formal ceremony, but an act with substantial symbolism that reflects the contribution, memory, respect, as well as the mission and work of the National Guard and especially the Artillery.

“The unmanned aerial vehicle and the control vehicle are not simply means of material value, but symbolise duty, discipline, self-denial, faith in duty and the ideals that characterise the human potential of the National Guard, which serves the homeland with devotion,” he said.

“Today’s gift, like any new weapon system, strengthens the morale of the personnel, increases the operational readiness and credibility of the National Guard and strengthens society’s trust in it for the fulfilment of its mission in favour of independence and freedom,” Pavlides added.

He said the artillery accepted the donation with a commitment to safeguard and fully utilise it, both now and in the future.

“History has taught us that nothing is given,” he said, adding that “freedom, peace and security require constant vigilance, dedication to duty and a high sense of responsibility”.