Air combat during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus On 20 July 1974 , Turkey launched a combined air and sea invasion of the northern portion of the island of Cyprus following a coup by the Athens - backed Cypriot National Guard against the democratically - elected President , Archbishop Makarios III . The Turkish Government cited the protection of the Turkish Cypriot minority of Cyprus as its main justification for the military attack , in contradiction of the terms of the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee . Cyprus National Guard Air Command . The Cyprus National Guard first formed an organised military Air Wing on 16 August 1960 , shortly after the island gained its independence from Britain . This force was equipped with a small number of light aircraft , and shared a joint command with the air - defence forces of the island and the Police . In 1963 was formed the Cyprus Air Command ( Αεροπορική Διοίκηση Κύπρου – Α . Δ . Κ . / ADK ) with its headquarters in Nicosia and two squadrons under its command – the 419 Air Base Protection Squadron ( Μοίρα Προστασίας Αεροδρομίου – Μ . Π . Α . / MPA ) and 420 Air Base Protection Squadron at Lakatamia and Tymbou Airbases respectively . In June 1964 the 1 Air squad ( Σμήνος Αεροσκαφών – Σ . Α . / SA ) was formed in cooperation with the Police force . This unit operated two Piper PA - 22 Colt , a L - 21B Piper Cub , a Beech C - 45 , Dornier Do - 27Q , plus two AB - 47J helicopters . Efforts were made with the cooperation of Greece for the acquisition of more modern jets , with limited success . In August 1964 the CNG / AC possessed five combat - capable T - 6A Harvard attack planes which had been sent secretly from Greece , but they were returned to Greece few days later due to political considerations . At the same period – in 1964 – 65 the Cypriot Government had considered procuring eight Yak - 11 or MiG - 17 combat aircraft and SA - 2 Guideline Surface - to - air missile s from the Soviet Union , but these plans also had been scrapped due to political sensitivities . In 1964 , and then again , in 1966 , were created two radar Warning and Control Station Squadrons ( Μοίρα Σταθμού Ελέγχου και Προειδοποίησης – Μ . Σ . Ε . Π . / MSEP ) – 3 - rd on Mt . Kormakitis and 4 on Mt . Kantara . In 1968 the Police and ADK separated their activities and only two aircraft remained under ADK command : a Beech C - 45 ( D - 6 ) and , reportedly , a L - 21B Piper Cub ( D - 7 ) . Cyprus National Guard Artillery Command . This force had inherited a considerable quantity of military equipment from Great Britain , and efforts had been made to augment anti - aircraft equipment with supplies from the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia . By 1974 , the CNG Artillery Command possessed anti - aircraft flak gun s of 12 . 7 mm , 14 . 5 mm , 20 mm , 40 mm and 104 mm from various sources , the smaller calibres distributed across most of its battalions . Turkish Air Force . This force was heavily committed to operations over Cyprus for the duration of the 1974 invasion , and consisted of multiple fighter squadrons equipped with F - 5 , RF - 84F , F - 100 , F - 102 and F - 104 combat aircraft , as well as C - 130 , C - 160 and C - 47 transport planes . Turkish Army Air Corps . This force is composed primarily of Bell - model UH - 1H and Bell 206 helicopters as well as Dornier Do 27 special operations fixed - wing aircraft . Hellenic Air Force . During the invasion the H . A . F has a fleet of near 350 fighter aircraft . Also Greece have until July 1974 the first ready for action Phantoms squadron .