British Forces Cyprus (BFC)
The British Army in Cyprus works to a tri-service headquarters (BFC) and is tasked with protecting the SBAs and associated retained sites. The Army presence includes two resident infantry battalions and supporting arms such as the Royal Logistics Corps, Royal Army Medical Corps, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Royal Military Police and others located in both SBAs.
The bases, which cover 98 square miles, enable the UK to maintain a permanent military presence at a strategic point in the Eastern Mediterranean. RAF Akrotiri is an important staging post for military aircraft and the communication facilities are an important element of the UK's worldwide links. The bases can be used for a variety of both military and humanitarian operations.
United Nations Force - Op TOSCA
British soldiers also serve with United Nations peacekeeping Forces in Cyprus (UNFICYP). There is no operational link between British soldiers serving in the SBAs and the British contingent of the United Nations Force in Cyprus.
These soldiers serve on Operation TOSCA, an unaccompanied six month UN tour of duty and are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the Buffer Zone that runs between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots.
The Command includes the capital Nicosia and soldiers wear UN (blue) berets.
United Nations
Who's deployed
The 1st Battalion and 2nd Battalion of The Royal Yorkshire Regiment; Regular Army infantry units currently based in Catterick and Chester. 1 YORKS are Light Mechanised Infantry specialists equipped with Foxhound and Jackal. 2 YORKS are the spearhead Infantry unit of the Land Warfare Centre's, Experimentation and Trials Group
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