HMS Dragon FINALLY units sail from Portsmouth to assist defend Cyprus
Royal Navy warship HMS Dragon has finally left Portsmouth to travel to Cyprus to protect it from future Iranian attacks.
The Type 45 destroyer put to see this afternoon, more than a week after it was ordered to get ready to head to the Mediterranean.
It comes after Britain faced the embarrassment of France and other EU and Nato states stepping in to send ships to defend the island after an Iranian drone strike on RAF Akrotiri 10 days ago.
Yesterday Defence Secretary John Healey said the ship would be ready in ‘a couple of days’.
But an MOD spokesman confirmed that she was heading out to sea today after loading ammunition including aiur defence missiles.
He defended the time taken to get the ship ready, saying: ‘The Royal Navy have worked at pace, completing six weeks’ worth of work in just six days.’
But the ship could still take a week to arrive on station, while French and other European naval vessels are already in position around the island.
The Type 45 destroyer put to see this afternoon, more than a week after it was ordered to get ready to head to the Mediterranean
It comes after Britain faced the embarrassment of France and other EU and Nato states stepping in to send ships to defend the island after an Iranian drone strike on RAF Akrotiri 10 days ago
Emmanuel Macron has insisted Cyprus can ‘count on France‘ as he rubbed salt in the wound of Britain’s military embarrassment.
The French president swiped at the UK’s difficulties defending Akrotiri from Iranian reprisals as he visited the island yesterday.
A glossy video posted on social media by Mr Macron overnight shows him posing with forces personnel and a variety of impressive military hardware including the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.
It features people singing national anthem La Marseillaise and dramatic classical music, as Mr Macron comments: ‘Your presence demonstrates the power of France.’
Paris has taken the opportunity to put on a display of power as the UK struggles to mobilise even a single warship to protect Cyprus.
He was hugged by his Cypriot counterpart on the tarmac after his presidential plane taxied to a halt at Paphos airport.
Emmanuel Macron arrived on the French flagship in the Mediterranean by helicopter yesterday
