Cyprus will increase its number of professional soldiers from 250 to 400, Defense Minister Vasilis Palmas has said as officials also confirmed plans to modernize a fleet of decades-old tanks.
Palmas made the announcement at a swearing-in ceremony for new recruits in Larnaca, according to the newspaper Fileleftheros. He said the mandatory retirement age for professional soldiers would rise from 42 to 57, and that pay grades and monthly allowances would also increase.
Palmas also addressed the National Guard’s fleet of AMX-30B2 tanks, saying a modernization program was underway. He acknowledged the tanks were old but said upgrading them was necessary because no alternative was available.
The newspaper Alithia reported that a classified assessment had recommended withdrawing the tanks instead.
The paper said the modernization includes installing thermal cameras under a $25 million contract, and that Palmas did not specify how many tanks would be upgraded, whether the contract covers other equipment, or how long the tanks would remain in service.
