Cyprus is becoming increasingly important in US military strategy in the Eastern Mediterranean, prompting some to label it America's new "unsinkable aircraft carrier." The September 2024 signing of the US-Cyprus Defense Cooperation Roadmap, coinciding with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulidis's meeting with President Joe Biden, solidified this growing partnership.
This roadmap significantly upgrades Cyprus's role beyond its established function as a transit hub for civilian evacuations from Middle Eastern crises. The island now hosts US military facilities, including a helipad at the Mari naval base and the "Andreas Papandreou" air base in Paphos, utilized by American and German aircraft. Further solidifying the US presence are the establishment of an "Eastern Mediterranean Control Center" and Nicosia's recent military acquisitions.
The November 2023 downing of a US MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter near Cyprus revealed the presence of a previously undisclosed Special Operations unit, deployed to support Israel following the Hamas attack. This incident highlighted the island's growing importance in US Middle East operations.
While Cyprus joining NATO remains a possibility, Turkey's potential veto poses a significant obstacle. However, Cyprus's increasing strategic importance to the US could shift the dynamics and make membership a more realistic prospect. A resolution to the Cyprus issue is key to NATO accession, and Turkey has already voiced strong opposition to the burgeoning US-Cyprus military relationship.
US and NATO operations in Cyprus are coordinated with existing British bases, and American spy planes and other units operate extensively in the Mediterranean. These developments underscore Cyprus's emergence as a pivotal hub for US military activities in the region.
(Based on information from Neostrategy.gr's article "Cyprus in NATO as a 'new Souda'?")