Esportazione: Cipro sta negoziando attivamente un contratto per quasi 200 veicoli blindati KNDS con la Francia

>Nicosia intends to acquire approximately 80 Griffon and 100 Serval armored vehicles, some armed with the Akeron MP missile (MBDA), from KNDS France. Cyprus is also negotiating with Arquus for the modernization of part of its fleet of VAB armored vehicles (approximately 80).

>The matter is complex, but the contract is still pending. Cyprus is actively negotiating with the KNDS and Arquus groups for a significant acquisition of armored vehicles (Griffon and Serval) as well as the modernization of part of its VAB fleet, according to multiple sources. Nicosia hopes to purchase more than 150 armored vehicles (approximately 80 Griffon and 100 Serval) under the (SAFE) program, a €150 billion financing instrument of the European Union (EU) designed to facilitate arms purchases for European countries through loans at very attractive rates. Some of these vehicles can be equipped with Akeron MP anti-tank missiles (MBDA).

> The French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) will purchase these vehicles on behalf of Cyprus (ANPC). This is essentially a French version of the American Foreign Military Sales (FMS). Faced with the American model, the French Ministry of the Armed Forces was compelled in the late 2010s to improve its export support and address this gap in its resources for countries that do not have an equivalent to the DGA. A first transaction was carried out in 2018 with Belgium (Scorpion armored vehicles). France subsequently finalized other contracts with Estonia, Cyprus, Denmark, and Slovenia for Mistral 3 short-range surface-to-air missiles (MBDA) and Caesar self-propelled howitzers (KNDS).

>**VABs Undergoing Refurbishment**

>In addition to acquiring Griffon and Serval armored vehicles, Cyprus also plans to refurbish 80 VABs from its fleet of approximately 150 vehicles operated by the Cypriot National Guard. While Arquus is pushing to refurbish more VABs delivered between 1985 and 1988, KNDS is attempting to increase the number of Griffon and Serval vehicles in service. In Cyprus, the VAB manufacturer secured a contract in May 2025 for 12 Sherpa vehicles equipped with Akeron MP missiles. The contract was signed between the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) and the Cypriot Ministry of Defence at the DEFEA exhibition in Athens.

These are carrier vehicules with weaponry capabilities, griffon is a 6×6 heavy one (with machine gun, grenade launcher or mortar) and serval a 4×4 lighter one faster and capable or going on more difficult terrain (machine gun and grenade launcher, no mortar option). Both are two crews and 8 soldiers.

The serval is also being adapted into a ew and anti drone plateform capable of countering them for cheap.

A bit surprised they didn’t take a few jaguar along, since the 3 are made to work in tendem through the scorpion system (serval identify, instantly transmit to the griffon as control center that automatically send targeting data to the jaguar for heavy fire).