Nicosia: Efforts to secure EU co-funding for the acquisition of two firefighting aircraft are at an advanced stage, Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas said on Monday, adding that the aircraft would strengthen the operational capabilities of the Cyprus Regional Aerial Firefighting Station (CRAFS).
According to Cyprus News Agency, Palmas announced the development during the CRAFS Distinguished Visitors Day (DV DAY) at the Andreas Papandreou Air Base in Paphos. He said the process, launched in consultation with the relevant EU Directorate-General, was expected to be successfully completed, with priority given to countries in the Southern Neighbourhood.
'CRAFS will acquire its own operational wings,' Palmas said, noting that the development would pave the way for the further expansion of the hub's role and mission. The Defence Minister described the event as a milestone in the development of CRAFS, which aims to become a regional hub with a European mission and dimension, regional reach and potential for further development.
He recalled that the initiative began on September 10, 2025, when European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the creation of a new European firefighting hub based in Cyprus. According to Palmas, Cyprus was selected not only because of its geographical position but also because of its broader strategic role in the EU's Southern Neighbourhood and the Eastern Mediterranean.
'The selection of our country as the hub for this initiative reflects confidence in the Republic of Cyprus' ability to assume responsibilities, build partnerships in a region of particular geostrategic importance and act as a reliable and stable partner,' he said. Palmas said CRAFS infrastructure was completed on April 15, 2026, at a total cost of pound 802,000.
A transitional framework for the operation of the hub has already been put in place, while work is under way to establish its institutional framework and ensure its long-term operation. The Ministry of Defence has assumed responsibility for the organisation, command and operation of CRAFS, as well as for planning and promoting the steps required for its institutional establishment. The Ministry of Interior is responsible for financial management and accounting arrangements.
Under current plans, CRAFS will have a dual strategic role. On the one hand, it will serve as a regional hub supporting aerial firefighting operations, with responsibility for the command and control of aerial firefighting assets deployed or activated for missions, while also providing technical expertise within the framework of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
On the other, it will operate as a Centre of Excellence, focusing on staff training and certification, the development of common standards, operational simulations, research and knowledge generation. Particular emphasis will be placed on operational interoperability and the development of common protocols and communication standards.
In this context, Palmas said cooperation with the European Union's Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC), the operational hub of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, was at an advanced stage. CRAFS will launch its first workshop on Tuesday, marking the start of its operational activities. Personnel from more than ten countries, as well as representatives of European and international organisations, will take part.
The workshop aims to present CRAFS' mission, vision, capabilities and proposed operating model. Palmas said the participation of countries from the Southern Neighbourhood and the Arab Gulf was an indication of the interest already being shown in developing meaningful and lasting regional cooperation.
He stressed that Monday's event did not mark the end of the effort, but rather 'the beginning of a new phase', which would require even closer cooperation. The objective, he said, is for CRAFS to develop into a fully fledged regional hub combining a high level of operational readiness with training and certification, regional cooperation, research and innovation.
'The Republic of Cyprus has demonstrated that it is ready to assume this responsibility,' Palmas said, expressing the hope that CRAFS would become a point of reference for Europe and the wider region. He added that the aim was for the hub to become a symbol not only of high operational readiness, but also of the determination to invest in operational capability, cooperation and the security of the wider region.