HMS Dragon has arrived in the eastern Mediterranean three weeks after an Iranian-made Shahed-type drone hit the British base at RAF Akrotiri, the Defense Secretary said.
The Type 45 destroyer is expected to commence “operational integration into Cyprus’s defense” from Monday night, 30th March, as John Healey briefs MPs.
The British government has faced criticism for its slow deployment of a warship to the Mediterranean, especially in comparison with both Greece and France, which sent additional naval support to Cyprus after the attack.
The Cypriot government has also voiced concern that the drone was able to hit the base, suggesting that the presence of the British base on the island may need to be reviewed.
HMS Dragon had been undergoing a six-week refit in Portsmouth but was made seaworthy in six days. This was achieved with crews working 22-hour days. Opposition parties said that the UK government should have anticipated the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. They added that Tehran’s retaliation was expected, so British assets should have been moved closer to the conflict region earlier.
Healey also confirmed reports over the weekend that Iran had attempted to launch two other strikes on the joint UK-U.S. base on Diego Garcia, located in the Chagos Islands.
Healey went on to say that there is no assessment that the UK itself is being targeted in that manner. “We have the resources, as well as the alliances in place, to keep Britain safe from any kind of attack,” he added.
Healey further stated that there are now an additional 500 air defence personnel in Cyprus. More military capabilities have also been committed to the eastern Mediterranean. He added that the UK is working closely with the Republic of Cyprus to coordinate contributions from allies, including the United States, France, and Greece, to reinforce the island’s security.
He also noted that RAF and Royal Navy pilots have now accumulated nearly 900 flying hours in defence of Cyprus, Jordan, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. He added that the UK currently has more jets in the region than at any time in the past 15 years.
