Overview
- HMS Dragon departed Portsmouth on March 10 bound for the Eastern Mediterranean to bolster air defence around Cyprus and UK interests.
- The Type 45 destroyer carries the Sea Viper system and advanced sensors designed to track hundreds of targets and intercept drones and missiles.
- The Ministry of Defence said the ship was readied at pace, compressing six weeks of work into six days, with the transit expected to take several days.
- A second vessel, RFA Lyme Bay, has been placed on heightened readiness to support maritime tasks and potential evacuations if required.
- UK officials cite broader defensive measures already in place, including F‑35s, Typhoons, Wildcats, Merlin helicopters, radar and counter‑drone teams, with a British unit recently downing a drone over Iraq.