The British destroyer HMS Dragon arrived in Cyprus three weeks after the drone attack
The British Royal Navy’s guided-missile destroyer HMS Dragon has finally arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean to bolster Cyprus’s air defense.
Defence Express reports this.
The ship’s redeployment came in response to an attack by Shahed-type drones on the British military base at Akrotiri, which occurred on March 2 amid escalating tensions between Israel, the U.S., and Iran.
Despite the “urgency” of the situation, the destroyer’s journey to its destination took 23 days from the moment of the strike on the base.
This delay exposed serious logistical and technical problems within the British Navy. Although the decision to deploy was made within a day, preparing the ship to leave port took six days.
The destroyer left its base in Portsmouth on March 10 but did not reach the region until March 24, even though it was originally scheduled to arrive a week earlier.
“The delay was caused by severe storms in the Bay of Biscay, as well as a stop in Gibraltar to replenish supplies and conduct crew training,” military analysts note.
HMS Dragon belongs to the Type 45 class and is considered one of the most powerful air defense assets in the world.
The ship is equipped with 48 Sylver A50 launch cells for Aster 15 and Aster 30 anti-aircraft missiles, allowing it to effectively intercept both drones and high-speed missiles.
A Wildcat helicopter, adapted for hunting drones, is also based on board.
However, behind the PR hype surrounding the destroyer’s arrival lies a crisis within the British Navy. Of the entire fleet, which consists of only six Type 45 ships, only two—HMS Dragon and HMS Dauntless—are currently operational.
The other ships are undergoing lengthy repairs due to chronic engine failures or are undergoing scheduled modernization.
As a reminder, Britain has refused to allow the U.S. to use bases in Cyprus.
Cyprus and Britain will also discuss military bases on the island.
