Lakatamia Air Base “449 Myra 2nd Lieutenant N.Loizoy”

La base di Lakatamia si trova a circa 10 km dal centro di Lefkosia, quartiere da cui prende il nome ed oltre ad essere la base storica della Cyprus AF è anche la sede del comando della Forza Aerea. Difficilmente riconoscibile dall’esterno, questa piccola base si integra molto con la zona edificata dei dintorni, non ha il classico aspetto che a colpo d’occhio caratterizza le strutture militari.
Le attività di questa giovane Forza Aerea esordiscono nel 1985 sulla base con un Piper Colt ed un Islander, la denominazione dell’epoca era M.E/ -A/O, tradotto in “Squadron elicotteri ed aerei”. Inizialmente le sole attività del Gruppo di volo sono: ricerca e sorveglianza, il trasporto dei malati ed il controllo degli incendi e dell’inquinamento marino, i velivoli operano con marche civili perché ancora non si è sviluppata la consueta natura militare della Forza Aerea. Svolta che avviene invece nel triennio seguente a partire dal 1987 con l’arrivo in sequenza di tre Bell 206L Ranger III, quattro Gazelle SA 342 L1 e due Pilatus PC 9.
Da questo momento viene anche adottata una livrea mimetica e le insegne di nazionalità con la bandiera nazionale e la classica roundel che ricalca perfettamente quella della Grecia, paese con il quale c’è un forte legame non solo militarmente.
Ovviamente l’acquisizione di nuovi aeroplani ed elicotteri cambia anche le tipologie delle operazioni, i Bell 206 sono usati per la ricerca ed il soccorso, il trasporto Vip e per l’addestramento; attualmente gli elicotteri di questo tipo in servizio sono rimasti solo due perché un esemplare è andato perso nell’unico ma gravissimo incidente della storia della Forza Aerea, dove tutti gli occupanti hanno perso la vita, tra i quali c’era proprio il Comandante in Capo della Cyprus AF.
I quattro Gazelle in servizio sono del tipo armato con il missile anticarro Hot e quindi naturalmente si occupano di eventuali operazioni contro i mezzi corazzati.
Nel 2001 in seno ad una riorganizzazione lo Squadron riceve l’attuale denominazione e vede la cessione dei velivoli ad ala fissa al neo costituito 450 Myra.

Paphos Air Base “450 Myra Andrea Papandreou/ 55 Fight Sq.”

Nell’ottobre 2001 è costituito un nuovo Squadron. La Base Aerea che lo ospita è sede anche dell’omonimo aeroporto civile, in un complesso certamente all’avanguardia con strutture tipiche delle più rinomate e moderne forze aeree, come shelter, ampi hangar per la manutenzione ed il ricovero dei velivoli, palazzine moderne ed ampi piazzali, enorme è la differenza dalla più “familiare” Lakatamia.
Nel mese di giugno dello stesso anno sono consegnati i primi quattro elicotteri di costruzione sovietica Mil Mi 35P, prima serie di dodici esemplari, essi formeranno la struttura portante del neo costituito 450 Myra, i restanti velivoli del Gruppo sono i due Pc 9 ed un Islander ceduti dal 449 Myra.
I dodici Mil Mi 35P sono la versione più recente del possente elicottero sovietico, dotato di tutte le più sofisticate apparecchiature tecnologiche i cui compiti principali sono:
-nella versione da combattimento sono utilizzabili i due cannoni da 30 mm fissi sul lato destro della carlinga, missili anticarro 9M120 “Ataka” da 130 mm, pod B8V20-A dotati di razzi rocket C8-KO da 80 mm ed infine due gun pod UPK-23-250 da 3400 colpi al minuto installabili esternamente sui piloni. Per l’autoprotezione sono installati dei riduttori di temperatura sugli scarichi delle turbine, un avvisatore L-006LM per l’eventuale illuminazione da parte di un radar, una protezione L166V1AE IR per i missili spalleggiabili a guida IR, dispenser di Chaffes and Flares ASO-2V per interferire su missili a guida infrarossi. Nel ruolo di trasporto l’elicottero può portare otto soldati completamente equipaggiati, oppure 1.500 Kg di materiali ospitati nel vano cargo, oppure 2.400 Kg di carichi sui piloni esterni; nella versione ambulanza sono trasportabili quattro feriti due barellati e due seduti più un medico.
I due Pc 9 sono utilizzati per l’addestramento e per il traino bersagli mentre l’Islander che è l’unico velivolo ad avere ancora le marche civili è usato per il trasporto e per la ricognizione.

English translation

Lakatamia Air Base “449 Myra 2nd Lieutenant N.Loizoy”

Lakatamia Air Base is situated at about 10 km from the centre of Lefkosia, from which it takes its name, and it is not only the historical air Base of the Cyprus AF but also the headquarter of the Air Force. It is difficult to trace it from outside because this small base is perfectly integrated with the surrounding area; it does not look as usually military structures look.
The activity of this young Air Force started in 1985 in the base with a Piper Colt and an Islander; at that time the name were M.E/ -A/O, translated into "Helicopter and Airplanes squadron". at beginning the only activities of the Flying Group were: research and surveillance, tranportation of sick people and control of fires and sea pollution; the aircraft operated with civil marks because the usual military nature of the air Force had not been developed yet. The change started in 1987 and continued in the following three years as three bell 206L Ranger III, four Gazelle SA 342 L1 and two Pilatus Pc 9.
From that moment on a camoufled livery was used together with the nation insignia with the national flag and the classic roundel that follows faithfully the Greek one, being Greece a country to which Cyprus is strongly linked and not only militarily.
Obviously the acquisition of new airplanes and helicopter changed also the types of operations, the Bell 206 were used for search and rescue, transportation of VIPs and for training; at present only two of these helicopter have remained in service because one of them was lost in the only but very serious accident in the history of the Air Force, when all the people on helicopter died and among them the Commander in Chief of the Cyprus AF.
The four Gazelle in service are of the type armed with anti-tank missile Hot and of course they operate against possible armoured vehicles.
IN 2001, due to a reorganization, the squadron received its present name and the fixed wing aircrafts are transferred to the newly constituted 450 Myra.

Paphos Air Base “450 Myra Andrea Papandreou/ 55 Fight Sq.”

In October 2001 a new Squadron was constituted. Its Air Base is also the seat of the civil Airport with the same name and it is situated in a really advanced building with typical structures of the most famous and modern Air Forces such as shelters, wide hangars for the maintenance, modern building and wide squares, and it is very different from the more "familiar" Lakatamia.
In June of the same year the first of four Helicopters Mil Mi 35P, made in the USSR, were delivered as the first series of twelve; they would be the basic structure of the newly constitued 450 Myra; the other two aircrafts of the squadron are two Pc 9 and one Bn 2 Islander handed over by the 449 Myra.
The twelve Mil Mi 35P are the most recent version of the powerful sovietic helicopter, equipped with the most sophisticated technological devices whose main task are:
-in the fighting version two 30-mm guns fixed to the right side of the cockpit, 130-mm anti tank missiles 9M120 "Ataka", pod B8V20-A with 80-mm rockets C8-KO and two guns pod UPK-23-250 of 3,400 shots per minute that can be installed on the outside. Some temperature reducers on the turbines drains, an alarm L-006LM in case of illumination by a radar, a protection L166V1AE IR for supportable missiles with IR drive, chaff and flare dispenser ASO-2V to interfere with infrared missiles are installed as self protection. As means of transport the Helicopter can carry eight fully equipped soldiers, or 1,500 kg of materials in the cargo space, or 2,400 kg of load on the external travel; in its version as ambulance four hurt people can be transported, two on stretchers and to on chairs, together with a doctor.
The two Pc 9 are used for training and to Tow targets, while the Islander is the only aircrafts that maintains the civil marks and it is used for transport and reconnaissance.

Cyprus is situated in the north-eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, 33° east of Greenwich and 35° north of the Equator and has an area of 9.251 square kilometres, of which 1.733 are forested.
The present population of Cyprus is 755.00 of whom 643.000 are Greek Cypriots, 88.000 are Turkish Cypriots and 24.000 are foreigners residing in Cyprus.
The capital of the island is Nicosia (Lefkosia) with a population of 198.000 in the sector controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus. It is situated roughly in the centre of the island and is the seat of government as well as the main business centre. The 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation of 35% of the island’s territory literally cut the capital in half. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Nicosia remains the only military divided capital in Europe.
The second largest town is Limassol in the south which has around 158.000 inhabitants. It is Cyprus’ main commercial port and an important tourist resort.
Larnaca, in the south-east of the island, has a population of 70.000 and is the island’s second commercial port and an important tourist resort. To the north of the town is located the island’s oil refinery, while to the south is situated Larnaca’s International Airport.
Finally, Paphos in the south-west with a population approaching 40.000 is a fast developing tourist resort, home to the island’s second International Airport and it has an attractive fishing harbour.
In the Turkish occupied area, the town of Famagusta, the centre of the pre-1974 tourist industry, is now a ghost town, deserted since 1974 when its inhabitants fled from advancing Turkish troops. The town of Kyrenia, another important tourist resort on the north coast of Morphou situated in the important agricultural area of western Messaoria, is now inhabited almost exclusively by Turkish Cypriots and Turkish settlers as the Greek Cypriots were forced in 1974 to abandon their homes and move to the south under the threat of guns of the Turkish occupation army.
Since the Turkish invasion and occupation of over a third of the island, the demographic balance has changed dramatically as a result of Turkey’s population policies. There are now around 115.000 illegal Turkish settlers in the occupied area, while an estimated 55.000 Turkish Cypriots have emigrated.