UK to buy new air raid sirens for Akrotiri

The British defence ministry is to buy new air raid sirens for its Akrotiri air force base and the adjacent village of the same name, with the contract for their supply having been awarded to American firm Acoustic Technologies. The contract for the sirens’ supply is worth exactly £552,239 (€644,242) over the course of five years, with the British defence ministry saying that “there is a need to supplement the air raid warning sirens that are currently in place at RAF Akrotiri”. It added that “the requirement is for air raid warning sirens that can cover the distance of RAF Akrotiri and Akrotiri village for community warning”. The new sirens, it said, will have “distinct alert tones” both for “air raids” and “imminent threats” and a subsequent “all-clear” siren, as well as “live and recorded voice announcement functionality”.

It said the contract “will include supply, commissioning, documentation, training, warranty and through-life support activities required to deliver and sustain the capability”. Acoustic Technologies is based in Boston, Massachusetts, and describes itself as “a global leader in emergency communication and early warning systems” and a “trusted provider of innovative solutions that deliver clear and effective emergency notifications”. Further details of the contract will be published within the next month, in accordance with UK law. Akrotiri was hit by an Iranian-made drone in March The installation of the new air raid sirens will come after a year in which Akrotiri’s political salience was more pronounced than at any time this century, with it having been hit by an Iranian-made drone on March 2. Following the drone strike, President Nikos Christodoulides had promised upon his arrival a European Council summit in March that “we are going to have an…