DEFENCE & SECURITY EXHIBITION IN NICOSIA - DRONES, ANTI-TANK MISSILES, BOATS AND SPECIAL VEHICLES - CYPRIOT COMPANIES PRESENTED THEIR EXHIBITS - Filenews 26/2 - by Andreas Pogiatzis
The Battlefield Redefined Defence and Security exhibition is underway at the Pavilion Hall in Nicosia, where Cypriot companies operating in the sector present their products to the public.
Among the exhibits are drones, anti-tank missiles, special vehicles, boats and many other innovations. The exhibition opened its gates in the morning where many people gathered to see the exhibits up close.
The conference brings together European institutions, national authorities, industry and innovators. In the conference part, today the focus will be on the European Union's defense industrial readiness, the transition from strategy to operational capability, as well as the role of hybrid threats, cyberspace and space as power multipliers in the modern field of operations.
On the second day, the conference will focus on financing the European defence transition and transforming innovation into production and operational development. The focus will be on European financial tools, the ability to absorb capital from industry and mechanisms to scale up from prototype to mass production, with the aim of strengthening Europe's defence readiness and strategic resilience in the long term.
Christodoulides: The Cypriot defense industry is a strategic pillar - Double-digit contribution to GDP is a goal
The President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, was also present at the conference, highlighting the role of the Cypriot defense industry as a strategic pillar of national security, European defense and economic development.
In his speech, he stressed that Cyprus no longer seeks to remain a simple consumer of defence solutions, but to evolve into a producer and an essential contributor to the European defence architecture, utilizing innovation, cutting-edge technologies and industrial cooperation.
The President pointed out that in the last five years the Cypriot defence industry has recorded impressive growth, with 18 Cypriot companies participating in 44 projects of the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) and the European Defence Fund (EDF). These projects correspond to a total budget of about €600 million, while direct financing to Cypriot companies amounted to about €48 million.
As he mentioned, this participation substantially strengthened the technological capabilities, industrial base and credibility of Cyprus as a co-producer in the European defence supply chain, gradually transforming it from a regional partner into a substantial contributor to the ecosystem of defence and dual-use technologies.
Nikos Christodoulides expressed the belief that, through the close cooperation between the state and industry, the contribution of the defense industry to the country's GDP can reach a double-digit percentage in the coming years, underlining that the success of the sector is a strategic advantage for both Cyprus and Europe.
Six policies in place
The President recalled that at the same conference last year he had announced six specific policies to strengthen the defense industry, noting that today these policies have passed the implementation stage. Among other things, it was mentioned:
- The elaboration of a National Defence Industry Strategy in cooperation with the European Commission
- The promotion of international industrial cooperation and the institutionalization of the substantial participation of Cypriot companies in armaments programs, with a target of a participation threshold of 15%
- The creation of a National Register of Cypriot Defence Industry Manufacturers
- Increasing funding for the transition from research and development to production
- Funding national pavilions at major international defence exhibitions, such as DEFEA 2025 and EUROSATORY 2026
- The signing of the SOLIS project for satellite communications, which he described as a strategic milestone for national and European security
Referring to the international environment, the President of the Republic underlined that the war in Ukraine, the conflicts in the wider region and the Turkish military occupation in Cyprus make it imperative to strengthen the deterrence capability and defense readiness. He stressed, at the same time, that defense is now expanding in areas such as cybersecurity and space, where Cyprus aspires to play an active role.
In closing, Nikos Christodoulides underlined that the development of a strong, innovative and competitive defence industry is a common European goal, shaping, as he said, "a stronger future for Cyprus and for Europe".
