LIVE: HMS Dragon leaves Portsmouth bound for Cyprus as hostilities rumble on in Middle East

Type 45 warship HMS Dragon has sailed past The Round Tower in Old Portsmouth this afternoon (March 10), having originally been planned to move to another berth. She has been seen in Portsmouth over the past several days taking on ammunition and other supplies in the Upper Harbour Ammunition Facility.

After previously being earmarked to lead Nato’s Standard Maritime Group One, prime minister Sir Keir Starmer announced she would be deployed to Cyprus. The British base on the Mediterranean island, RAF Akrotiri, was struck by a drone last Monday - believed to be from an Iranian-friendly military group in Lebanon or western Iraq.

Despite the Royal navy not publicising her leaving, crowds have gathered at Old Portsmouth to bid her farewell.

The crew’s loved ones joined hundreds of well-wishers lining the seawall as Dragon slipped out of Portsmouth Harbour, while last week drone-busting Wildcat helicopters departed from RNAS Yeovilton, and on Monday a Merlin Mk2 helicopter from RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall arrived in Cyprus.

The Portsmouth-based warship will use her Sea Viper missile system to help safeguard UK assets and interests – assisted by Wildcats from 815 Naval Air Squadron equipped with Martlet missiles able to deal with the aerial drone threat.

The decision to send the Royal Navy assets came as Iran’s attacks continue to target British interests in the region and the UK Armed Forces continue to adapt to the changing threats.

It builds on the UK increased defensive presence in the region in recent weeks, including deploying radar systems, air defence, and F-35 stealth fighters which are already conducting air defence sorties.

Fleet Commander Vice-Admiral Steve Moorhouse said: “I am proud that our highly-professional personnel have responded in a short time to ensure HMS Dragon and the Wildcats from 815 Naval Air Squadron are fully prepared for their mission.”

Based in Portsmouth and each with a crew of around 200 sailors, the Royal Navy’s six Type 45 destroyers are the Fleet’s first line of defence against aerial threats – aircraft, missiles, drones – and are capable of protecting an area up to five times the size of Cyprus.

HMS Dragon can track hundreds of targets simultaneously – and eliminate them with the Sea Viper system which can launch eight missiles in under ten seconds and direct up to 16 missiles on to their targets simultaneously, closing in for the kill at up to four times the speed of sound, manoeuvring at G-Forces no human can endure.

The system – and the highly-skilled men and women operating it – proved itself time and again in the Red Sea when HMS Diamond repeatedly downed drones and at least one missile launched at passing shipping by Houthi rebels.

Last year Dragon herself became the first British warship to destroy a missile travelling at supersonic speed during an international exercise off Scotland, obliterating the target despite its attempts to corkscrew and weave to avoid Sea Viper.

HMS Dragon’s Commanding Officer, Commander Iain Giffin, said: “My ship’s company have worked tirelessly to ensure we are ready for our mission to the Eastern Mediterranean.

“I am proud of professional manner in which they have responded. We are trained for this, we are ready for this, we have the equipment and people, we have the support of the British people and, most importantly, our families and friends.”

As for the Wildcats, based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset, the new Martlet missiles they carry are designed to take out fast-moving, agile threats on the sea and in the sky.

Although still to be tested in action, the Wildcat-Martlet combination has proved successful repeatedly on test ranges with aircrew destroying aerial drones.

Last week Maritime Attack Helicopters from RNAS Yeovilton were loaded onto an RAF C-17 transporter for the four-hour flight to Cyprus.

The Commanding Officer of 815 NAS, Commander James Woods, said: “The deployment of 815 Naval Air Squadron Wildcat attack helicopters to Cyprus demonstrates our ability to respond rapidly to emerging threats and protect UK interests wherever they arise.

“We bring a highly-capable strike capability, and in this role they are providing a vital layer of defence against uncrewed aerial systems targeting UK Sovereign Base Areas.

“I’m immensely proud of the professionalism and adaptability shown by our engineers, logisticians and aviators. The current threat environment demands speed, adaptability and close integration with joint partners, while our advanced sensors and precision missiles ensure we can detect, track and, when necessary, defeat hostile drones before they threaten our people or infrastructure.

“This deployment highlights the flexibility of Maritime Aviation Strike, delivered by Wildcat HMA 2, and the commitment of 815 NAS to protect UK interests abroad and at home. Our people train constantly for exactly this kind of mission, and it’s a privilege to see their professionalism and combat readiness delivering protection of Cyprus.”

The airborne surveillance and control (ASaC) Merlin from 820 NAS provides a defence against aerial threats. With a crew of three, the helicopter can fly up to a mile from the ground and look ‘over the horizon’ to give advance warning of incoming drones or missiles.

The Commanding Officer of RNAS Culdrose, Captain James Hall, said: “Our aircraft from Merlin Helicopter Force are held at readiness to respond at short notice to any threat to UK interests.

“820 NAS already has experience of providing force protection from similar threats, having deployed ASaC aircraft on active operations in the Red Sea last year during the transits of the Carrier Strike Group led by HMS Prince of Wales during Operation Highmast.”

Iran-US conflict

Conflict has been surging in the Middle East following a barrage of strikes on Iran from US-Israeli forces. Tehran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, was killed during the assault on February 28. He has since been replaced by his son, 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei. Retaliatory action hit western positions, as well as Gulf nations across the Middle East.

Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer previously said fighter jets and other equipment have been pre-deployed to the region throughout January and February. Wildcat helicopters from 815 Naval Air Squadron recently landed at RAF Akrotiri. They were loaded onto an RAF C-17 transporter at RNAS Yeovilton for the flight to the Eastern Mediterranean island.

Bristling with Martlet missiles, the aircraft boast equipment designed to shoot down drones and other un-crewed systems. RAF fighter jets and Typhoons have already eliminated several targets flying over Jordanian airspace.

Criticism has been levelled at the UK’s response to hostilities breaking out in the region, particularly about how fast HMS Dragon has been deployed. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who falsely said the Type 45 was not fit to shoot down missiles, said the ship should have sailed days ago - while suggesting British fighter jets were just “hanging around” while the conflict raged on. Defence secretary John Healey said this was an insult to serving personnel.