The Cyprus National Guard and the French Armed Forces are conducting a small-scale special operations exercise entitled “Bold Wings – 2023”, which will conclude on June 15.
The drill, which began on May 30, takes place on land, and is attended by special operations personnel of the National Guard and the French armed forces.
According to a press release by the National Guard general staff, the scenario of the drill includes various types of individual and group weapons shots, execution of free-fall jumps, training in combat first aid, as well as execution of special operations within a residential area.
On June 7, the chief of the National Guard, Lieutenant General Demokritos Zervakis, attended part of the joint training, in the presence of the ambassador of France, Salina Grenet-Catalano. The chief congratulated the special operations teams and pointed out the great importance of conducting joint trainings, both for increasing the level of cooperation and understanding between the armed forces of the two countries, as well as for the security and stability in the region.
The exercise, which is part of the bilateral defence cooperation programme between Cyprus and France, is particularly beneficial, as it provides the opportunity for the special operations staff of the National Guard to train together with their counterparts of the French forces, thus promoting the level of training, interoperability and highlighting the excellent relations between the armed forces of the two countries.
In a post on his twitter account, Zervakis wrote that this is an important cooperation, a valuable exchange of knowledge and experience, which strengthens the long-standing ties of friendship between the armed forces of Cyprus and France.