The Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon will be pre-positioned in the region to provide protection to international shipping in case of hostilities between Iran and US-Israeli forces.
Get your news delivered straight to you by 7am -The Ministry of Defence is sending the British warship HMS Dragon to the Middle East in preparation to protect ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
The type 45 destroyer will 'pre-position' in the region, ready to join the UK and French-led initiative once hostilities cease between Iran and US-Israeli forces. A fragile ceasefire remains in place, although attacks on Friday saw US forces hit two Iranian tankers that were trying to breach the blockade imposed by Donald Trump. Until now, HMS Dragon has been stationed in the Mediterranean, offering protection to British forces stationed in Cyprus.
The MoD said any involvement would remain strictly defensive and aimed at restoring confidence for international shipping. HMS Dragon's primary role is air defence, protecting other ships by detecting and neutralising threats using the Sea Viper missile system. This includes drones, aircraft and missiles that could be launched by hostile actors such as Iran-backed groups or regional adversaries. The ship first left Portsmouth on March 10, a week after being ordered to prepare for deployment to the Mediterranean.
Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon will 'pre-position' in the region, ready to join the UK and French-led initiative once hostilities cease between Iran and US-Israeli forces The move followed a drone strike near RAF Akrotiri, which prompted France and other EU and NATO allies to deploy ships to help defend the island. But there was backlash after the ship didn't reach its destination until weeks after the conflict in the Middle East broke out at the end of February, with critics hitting out at the Armed Forces' lack of preparedness for major conflict.
The destroyer was then beset with issues and had to undergo urgent repairs to fix a water supply issue that was affecting water provided to sailors. The MoD said that Cyprus would still remain well-defended as the ships leaves, as capabilities have been boosted on the island since the start of the conflict. The ship is equipped with the Sea Viper missile system and is supported by Wildcat helicopters from 815 Naval Air Squadron armed with Martlet missiles.
The proposed mission championed by Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron would involve a coalition of nations willing to ensure freedom of navigation in the strait, a vital route for global oil and gas supplies along with other goods including fertiliser. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: 'We can confirm that HMS Dragon will deploy to the Middle East to pre-position ahead of any future multinational mission to protect international shipping when conditions allow them to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
'The pre-positioning of HMS Dragon is part of prudent planning that will ensure that the UK is ready, as part of a multinational coalition jointly led by the UK and France, to secure the strait, when conditions allow. ' The decision to move HMS Dragon from the eastern Mediterranean, where it had been defending British bases on Cyprus, will allow the destroyer to contribute immediately should the defensive mission in the strait be launched. This is a breaking news story and is being updated.
HMS Dragon Middle East Strait Of Hormuz Protecting International Shipping Crisis In The Middle East Antigovernment Forces In Iran Iranian Tanker Attacks International Coalition Sir Keir Starmer Emmanuel Macron Global Oil And Gas Supplies Vital Route For International Trading
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