Israel signs deal to supply Cyprus with offshore patrol vessel

Israel will supply Cyprus with a new offshore patrol vessel (OPV) after the two countries’ defense ministries signed an agreement today.

The vessel, built by Israel Shipyards, will be fitted with a range of naval systems made by the Rafael defense firm, and the systems aboard Cyprus’s existing Israel Shipyards-built patrol vessel, Commodore Andreas Ioannides, will be upgraded, Israel’s Defense Ministry says.

The deal was signed today by Defense Ministry Director General Amir Baram and his Cypriot counterpart, Stelios Kountouris.

The Defense Ministry says the deal “marks another important step in strengthening the operational capabilities of the Cyprus Naval Command and enhancing its capacity to respond to maritime security challenges.”

The new OPV, alongside the upgraded Commodore Andreas Ioannides, “will support expanded patrol, surveillance, and search-and-rescue missions,” the statement says.

The ministry adds that “by strengthening their capabilities and deepening their partnership, the two countries reaffirm their commitment to regional stability.”

The deal comes days after the ratification of a maritime-boundaries deal between Libya and Turkey in the Mediterranean, which Israel, Cyprus, Greece and other nations oppose.