NICOSIA, March 3 (Reuters) – France plans to send anti-missile and anti-drone systems to Cyprus after a British air base on the island was attacked by drones, the semi-official Cyprus News Agency (CNA) said on Tuesday.
The reported French aid to the island follows Greece’s offer of assistance hours after RAF Akrotiri, a British sovereign base, was targeted in two separate drone incidents on Monday.
In the first instance an Iranian-made Shahed drone crashed into the runway of the base, causing limited damage. Hours later two other drones were intercepted.
France would send anti-missile and anti-drone systems, as well as a frigate, CNA reported. It said French President Emmanuel Macron communicated the intention to Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides early on Tuesday.
A Cypriot government source, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the report.
Greece on Monday dispatched four F-16 fighter jets to the island. Two frigates, one equipped with its anti-drone Centauros jamming system, were also sailing to Cyprus.
Centauros, which has been successfully deployed against Houthi rebels attacking shipping lanes off Yemen, has the capability of detecting and incapacitating low-flying drones, such as the one which crashed into RAF Akrotiri and evaded radars, Cypriot defence sources said.
(Writing by Michele KambasEditing by David Goodman, Aidan Lewis)
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