The Multinational Civil-Military Cooperation Exercise "ARGONAUT 2026" was completed on Thursday, which took place in the sea, air and land space of the Republic of Cyprus and during which the opportunity was given to implement the "ESTIA" and "TEFKROS" plans.
In an announcement by the Search and Rescue Coordination Center (JCCC), it is noted that during the testing of the National Plans, the opportunity was given to implement the response capabilities, improve the coordination and interoperability of the participants, as well as evaluate the operational procedures of the services for dealing with incidents of mass reception of civilians.
The activity was carried out with the cooperation of the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs, under the general coordination of the General Staff of the National Guard (NGGS) and the participation of a large number of state services, as well as aeronautical means of the Republic of Cyprus and other countries.
In the exercise, which was carried out in three phases, the Special National Plans "ESTIA" and "TEFKROS" were tested, which concern the reception of civilians from neighbouring war zones, as well as the response to Large-Scale Search and Rescue incidents, within the area of responsibility of the Republic of Cyprus.
The first phase was carried out under the coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the NGNGS and concerned a paper exercise and the implementation of "ESTIA", with a scenario of evacuation and reception of civilians from a crisis area. 16 state agencies of the Republic and representatives of 29 states and 2 international organizations participating in the Non-combatant Evacuation Operations Coordination Group (NEOCG) participated.
The second phase was carried out under the coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and concerned a paper exercise and implementation of "ESTIA", with a scenario of reception and management by state services of mass arrivals of nationals of other countries.
The third phase, part of which was the "DV Day", was held on 13 and 14 May 2026, concerned Search and Rescue and was carried out under the coordination of the Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC).
The scenario included the management of a maritime and air accident in the land and sea area of the Republic of Cyprus, with the application of "TEFKROS", to deal with mass rescue incidents. A total of 850 people and 28 naval and air means from Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Spain, Israel, and Italy, as well as private companies and the Institute for Research and Innovation, participated in it.
The Search and Rescue phase was attended by the Ministers of Defence, Justice and Public Order, the Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection, the Chief of the National Guard, Ambassadors and representatives of the countries participating in the exercise, as well as 140 observers from 31 countries and 2 international organizations.
"The successful execution of the exercise with the participation of a large number of personnel and means, once again highlighted the important role of the Republic of Cyprus, as a regional hub for the support of humanitarian operations and as a pillar of stability and cooperation in the wider region of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East", says the JRC.
Ministry of Defense: Cyprus at the forefront of addressing complex challenges
The geostrategic position of the Republic of Cyprus, at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, puts it at the forefront and makes it an important partner in addressing complex challenges, Defense Minister Vassilis Palmas said on Thursday, adding that exercises such as "Argonaut 2026" enhance the interoperability and operational readiness of all involved.
In his greeting on the occasion of the Distinguished Visitors Day of the Multinational Exercise "Argonaut 2026" held in the afternoon at the "Zenon" Coordination Center of the Larnaca Search and Rescue Coordination Center (JCCC), the Minister stated that "in a particularly demanding and ever-changing security environment" the presence of distinguished visitors "underlines, in the most substantial way, the importance of cooperation in the field of search and rescue and the crisis management in the wider region".
He added that "as the Republic of Cyprus, we attach particular importance to strengthening regional coordination and collective preparedness with the aim of effectively dealing with humanitarian crises in the Eastern Mediterranean and the wider region. In recent years, the Republic of Cyprus has played an essential role in supporting humanitarian missions and operations to evacuate civilians from war zones, providing facilities to citizens of many countries."
As the Minister of Defense said, "this experience has clearly highlighted the importance of maintaining high operational readiness".
Referring to the multinational exercise "ARGONAUT 2026", Mr. Palmas said that "it is an essential tool for enhancing interoperability between states and competent bodies, contributing to better preparation to face complex operational challenges. Through exercises such as this, we are given the opportunity to evaluate and further improve the Plans, test existing procedures and strengthen cooperation between the participating countries and the government agencies involved in respective operations."
Today, he continued, "we will attend part of the "Search and Rescue" phase of the Exercise, which is coordinated by the Larnaca Regional Planning Center. More specifically, the response to an air accident during a flight to evacuate citizens from a crisis area will be presented, as well as the naval accident response phase, which began yesterday with the participation of means and personnel from Egypt, France, Greece, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Spain, Israel and Italy."
In his address, the Minister of Defence also stated that "the geostrategic position of the Republic of Cyprus, at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, puts us at the forefront and makes us an important partner in dealing with complex challenges".
He noted that "in view of the fact that the effective management of a crisis requires trust, coordination and collective effort, exercises such as today's contribute substantially to the development of these characteristics, while enhancing the interoperability and operational readiness of all involved".
Mr. Palmas expressed "special satisfaction and warm congratulations" to all those who participated in the planning and execution of the exercise, both for the professionalism and for the high level of cooperation shown.
In his own address, the Chief of the National Guard, Lieutenant General Emmanuel Theodorou, said that "the National Guard, in this important and multidimensional Multinational exercise, has the overall responsibility for the general coordination and as Chief, I am really impressed by the professionalism and interest shown by all involved. At the facilities of the "ZENON" Coordination Center, executives from 32 countries are working together to plan, on paper, the safe evacuation of their citizens from a crisis area."
He added that "under the coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and with the participation of state services, the National Plan "ESTIA" for the mass reception of foreign citizens on the island is being tested. At the same time, under the coordination of the KSED, the National Plan "TEFKROS" is being examined, which concerns Search and Rescue incidents, which we will soon have the opportunity to observe in real time."
As the Chief said, "due to the complexity of the exercise, the last six months have required a significant effort from the planning teams in order to prepare all the scenarios we are evaluating. The vast majority of procedures require the effective cooperation of military and civilian personnel, for the benefit of those in need, as well as ensuring the interoperability of all operational processes."
He also said that "the participation of aeronautical means and personnel from nine friendly countries demonstrates the common will to achieve maximum effectiveness during humanitarian operations. The large number of participants provides a unique opportunity for a wider exchange of knowledge and experience, as well as for strengthening mutual understanding and the spirit of international cooperation."
The Republic of Cyprus, he continued, "realizing the fragile geopolitical environment of the region, has a firm goal of providing assistance to any humanitarian operation or initiative in the Eastern Mediterranean, with excellent examples being the civilian evacuation operations carried out during the crises in the wider region over the last three years."
Lieutenant General Theodorou also assured that "the National Guard is ready to cooperate with friendly countries in order to assist in the collective effort to deal with any humanitarian crisis". "The lessons learned from the past must guide our present for wiser decisions and more effective actions," he concluded.
This was followed by the awarding of an anniversary emblem to the ambassadors of the participating countries, while the attendees attended part of the exercise.
