Quick answer: EA clearly explains how Cycles work, but the official FAQ does not publish one fixed total number of Cycles for every campaign. This page therefore does not invent an exact count.
What is a Cycle?
A Cycle is the campaign's strategic time unit. During a Cycle, the Holotable presents Operations and Tactical Missions. Some opportunities can expire, while story-critical missions eventually become obligatory. EA says each Cycle ends with a Tactical Mission selection that deploys Hawks' chosen squad.
What advances the Cycle?
StarWars.com's launch guide gives the practical rule: missions advance you to the next Cycle. That means you should complete the Den work, conversations, upgrades and Operations you care about before deploying.
Why there is no exact number here
Campaign length and a fixed Cycle count are not the same claim. Media have discussed overall playtime and preview builds have reported reaching specific Cycle numbers, but those observations do not establish one official universal total. Choices, optional work and campaign structure can also change how much content a player sees.
Until EA or Bit Reactor publishes a definitive total, the honest SEO answer is "not officially stated" followed by an explanation of the system. That is more useful than repeating an unsourced number that could be wrong after patches or route differences.
Use Cycles as a planning deadline
Before a mission, check the Holotable, Personnel, roster health, Bonds and available base actions. If a non-critical Operation is about to expire, decide whether its reward or relationship effect is worth the Intel/time before you advance.
Cycle count versus campaign length
A useful distinction is that Cycles measure strategic progression, not hours played. Two players can spend very different amounts of real time inside the same Cycle depending on how long they study the Holotable, customize Operators, read conversations, manage Facilities or restart difficult missions. That is why an estimated campaign duration cannot safely be converted into a fixed Cycle total.
What to finish before advancing
Use the mission-deployment screen as a checkpoint. Review expiring Operations, available Intel spending, Facility upgrades, injured Operators, Focus Point changes and important Bonds before committing. If the mission is marked as advancing the campaign, assume unresolved optional opportunities may no longer be available afterward unless the UI explicitly says otherwise.