Very interesting – I had indeed heard the usual rumours on the news wire, but you know what the tabloids are like…

And in terms of defence-spending, I think $118 million is hardly considered a “major” sale these days, particularly when you consider that Cyprus is spending around $440 million USD per year sustaining its armed forces rate of development.

The purchase of BATCH 3 Matra Mistrals, I believe, will include ATLAS, SIMBAD and ALAMO 4×4 versions to equip all parts of the armed forces who are disposing of the SA-7B Grail. Mistrals are also to be equipped to new coastal patrol vessels.

The acquisition of Aspides is obviously the cheaper option between that and TOR-M1’s – I believe Cyprus should have dumped Aspide and its newer variant, Aspide-2000, A LONG TIME AGO, and gone with the more expensive versions of the self-propelled TOR-M1 Gauntlet.

SOC, can you please tell me where you got the info on Cypriot BUK-M1-2’s as I have been able to find not a shred of evidence that this is in fact true. The last thing I heard was that the type had been selected to replace S-300 as intermediate range.

And on the subject of rumours, I would like to reiterate the high level of secrecy that is being maintained by Cyprus at the moment. It was five months before anyone knew the Hinds had arrived, and rumour has it that there is four more (options)on the way…

Twi.