Lieutenant General Emmanouel Theodorou, Chief of the Cyprus National Guard, emphasized the crucial role of continuous, high-quality maintenance in ensuring military strength and operational readiness. Speaking at an aviation conference in Paphos, Theodorou highlighted the daily efforts of engineers and technicians as fundamental to flight safety. He announced 2026 as the ‘Year of Maintenance’ to reinforce technical excellence and operational preparedness.

The conference, attended by senior military officials and international experts, focused on integrating the Airworthiness Regulatory Framework into aircraft maintenance and operations. Brigadier Alexandros Georgiou, Aviation Command chief, stressed the importance of maintaining technical competence amid evolving operational demands. He praised the Cyprus Air Force’s adoption of the European Military Airworthiness Requirements (EMAR), which aligns maintenance and certification procedures with modern European military standards. This move aims to enhance flight safety, transparency, and the reliability of air assets in Cyprus’s defense.