Cyprus Rejects German Tanks, Insists on Israeli Merkava Purchase

Cyprus has declined an offer to purchase used German Leopard A51 tanks from Greece, reaffirming its preference to acquire Israeli Merkava tanks. The Greek offer included about 90 Leopard A51 tanks, a respected but older model still in use by several armies. Cyprus currently operates Russian T-80 tanks but faces maintenance challenges due to a lack of spare parts and technical support amid Western sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.

A planned sale of used Merkava Mark 3 tanks from Israel to Cyprus was frozen after the outbreak of the October 7 conflict. Although the Merkava Mark 3 has been succeeded by the more advanced Mark 4, it remains a capable main battle tank featuring a 120mm gun, advanced fire control, and the option to equip the Trophy active protection system. Israel had reduced its armored forces before the conflict and halted sales to Cyprus and reportedly Morocco to preserve its armored strength. Since then, Israel’s Defense Ministry has ordered additional Merkava Mark 4 Barak tanks.

Cyprus’s continued interest in Merkava tanks raises questions about whether it will wait for Israel to release surplus Mark 3 tanks or invest in new Mark 4 models. The sale of Mark 3 tanks could provide Israel with tens of millions of dollars to fund newer tank acquisitions. In recent years, Cyprus has increased its military procurement, including purchasing the Israeli Barak MX air defense system to protect against aircraft, heavy rockets, and ballistic missiles. The island remains divided due to ongoing Turkish occupation of its northern part.