The biggest and most complex equation that the National Guard is called upon to solve today in the field of armaments concerns the future of its tank potential. The Armoured Fleet consists largely of vehicles of older generations, which, despite occasional maintenance and upgrade interventions, have now completed a significant part of their operational life cycle.
The age and operational capabilities of the existing tanks now urgently raise the issue of the gradual renewal of the fleet, at a time when the modern battlefield requires increased protection, advanced surveillance and fire control systems and greater operational interoperability.
In this regard, the decision to purchase new tanks has been made for years. Many factors, however, make this operation difficult, from the point of view of economics and logistical support.
What options were examined?
Over the years, several types of tanks have been put on the table, from the French Leclerc, to the German Leopard series, to the Israeli Merkava. As filenews is informed, the Israeli Merkava have been considered the most economical and advantageous solution, in terms of logistics, for some time now.
The manufacturing country is very close to Cyprus, the parts and ammunition can easily and immediately come to a Cypriot port, while in the event of a vehicle breakdown, its transport to Israel for repair would be a matter of a few weeks.
As far as the talks for the acquisition of the vehicles by Israel are concerned, as has been mentioned in previous reports, the delay in finalizing the agreement is attributed, among other things, to the extensive operational use of these vehicles by the Israeli Armed Forces (IDF), as well as to the decision of the Israeli Ministry of Defense to operationally staff all available tanks, by activating even reserve units.
According to information from Filenews, however, the Cypriot side appears determined to proceed with the acquisition of the vehicles and is putting pressure on the Israeli side, with the aim of reaching an agreement as soon as possible.
The cost of each vehicle, according to the same information, is expected to be close to €10 million for the upgraded version of the Merkava Mk 4. This cost is less than both the French Leclerc and the German Leopard.
Indicative of the expense required to acquire even used Leopards of an older version, such as the Leopard 2A4, is the recent case of the Czech Republic. In December 2024, the country signed an agreement worth around €161 million for 14 remanufactured Leopard 2A4s, with the amount including, in addition to tanks, ammunition, an extensive logistics package and related equipment. Based on the total value of the contract, the cost corresponds to approximately €11.5 million per piece.
It is worth noting that during the previous period, the possibility of acquiring older versions of Leopard tanks, such as the Leopard 1A5 from the stocks of the Greek Army, was also considered. However, this option did not go ahead, as it was deemed economically unprofitable, given the significant cost that would be required to upgrade and restore the vehicles to a level that meets the modern operational requirements of the battlefield.
The upgrade of the AMX-30B2
The debate surrounding the decision to upgrade the AMX-30B2 fleet of the National Guard came to light after an article in the newspaper "Truth". The upgrade concerns, among other things, the installation of modern thermal cameras and other systems, which are expected to enhance the capabilities of detecting and engaging targets, especially during night operations.
However, according to information from Filenews, the amount of €25 million cited by the publication does not concern the AMX-30B2 upgrade in its entirety. Of this fund, just over €4 million concerns the tanks themselves, while the rest concerns other actions and supplies, which, for reasons of national security, cannot be made public. It goes without saying that a decision to release money for the upgrade or purchase of equipment does not go through the staff of the GEEF. Armament decisions are taken by the Armaments Directorate of the Ministry of Defense and the internal bidding procedures, while the approval of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense is also required.
It is also added that there is no decision to date on the withdrawal of the AMX-30B2, while their prescribed upgrade will not be comprehensive, but will concern specific operational needs and individual systems.
According to the same information, however, the first type of armoured vehicle expected to be withdrawn from the National Guard at the first opportunity is the Brazilian-made EE-9 Cascavel, which is one of the oldest types of armoured vehicles still in service today.
