Greece and Cyprus are setting up a joint weapons manufacturing company on the island, backed by European Union funding, ...

Greece and Cyprus are setting up a joint weapons manufacturing company on the island, backed by European Union funding, under a deal signed between Greek industrial giant METLEN's defence arm, M Technologies, and Cyprus-based HOUTRIS. The two companies will establish a joint venture in Cyprus focused on producing military land vehicles. Funding comes through the EU's SAFE programme, which requires cross-border collaboration between at least two member states, making the Greece-Cyprus pairing a natural fit. M Technologies brings serious hardware credentials to the table. The company has previously worked on production and support for Patriot missile systems, Leopard tanks, and sections of the FDI HN Belharra frigates, and holds partnerships with several international defence manufacturers. HOUTRIS, for its part, has an established track record supplying vehicles and equipment to Cyprus' Ministry of Defence, National Guard, and Fire Service. The two companies said the joint venture would expand Cyprus' capacity to manufacture, integrate, and maintain military equipment, with an eye on broader regional work as well. Vassilis Tsiamis, CEO of M Technologies, described the agreement as a new model of industrial cooperation between Greece and Cyprus, aimed at transferring know-how and building specialist skills within the Cypriot industry. Yiannis Houtris, CEO of HOUTRIS, said Cyprus now has the industrial base to play a meaningful role in European defence production. The deal adds a second track to an already active Greece-Cyprus defence cooperation effort. The two countries are separately preparing a joint programme to develop and co-produce a combat drone under the same EU funding framework. Officials have also pointed to Cypriot companies developing drones and telecommunications systems for evaluation under SAFE. Both companies framed the agreement as part of a longer-term push to reduce European reliance on non-European defence suppliers. #Greece #Cyprus #EuropeanDefence