THE UK will send helicopters with counter-drone capabilities and a warship to protect British military personnel in Cyprus, the Prime Minister has said as the Middle East war continues to spiral.
Keir Starmer confirmed the UK would be sending HMS Dragon, one of the Royal Navy’s six Type 45 air defence destroyers, after RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus was hit by a drone.
There were some suggestions online that HMS Dragon was in deep maintenance, but a Government source said these were incorrect and that the destroyer was being “readied as we speak”.
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It appeared to be due for departure from Portsmouth at 10.15pm, according to a Government listing of shipping movements.
The helicopters will be Wildcats equipped with Martlet missiles, the Press Association understands.
Starmer posted on Twitter/X: “The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there.
“We’re continuing our defensive operations and I’ve just spoken with the president of Cyprus to let him know that we are sending helicopters with counter-drone capabilities and HMS Dragon is to be deployed to the region.
“We will always act in the interest of the UK and our allies.”
The HMS Dragon, which has a Welsh dragon on its bow, is crewed by more than 200 people.
Designed for air defence, it is equipped with a Sea Viper anti-air missile system.
Starmer granted permission on Sunday for the US to use British bases for “defensive” strikes on Iran’s missile sites, a day after the launch of joint American-Israeli military action against Tehran over the weekend.
Hours afterwards, a drone hit RAF Akrotiri, a British sovereign air base on the island, though the Prime Minister said it was launched before his announcement and was not in retaliation.
Defence Secretary John Healey said there were no casualties and the damage to the base was minimal.
The families of service personnel have been moved away from the base as a precaution.
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On Monday, a spokesperson for the Cypriot government said two further unmanned drones heading towards the base had been intercepted.
Healey said the drone that struck Akrotiri was an example of the “dangerous and indiscriminate attacks” by Iran and its proxies.
France is also reportedly planning to move air defence systems to Cyprus.
Paris will dispatch a frigate as well as anti-missile and anti-drone systems to the country, the semi-official Cyprus News Agency has said.
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