UK’s HMS Duncan warship may very well be despatched to Middle East after drone blitz on Cyprus RAF base
The UK is considering deploying a Type 45 destroyer to the Middle East, while France reportedly plans to move air defence systems to Cyprus after RAF Akrotiri was hit by a drone attack
HMS Duncan could be sent to the Middle East(Image: PA)
Britain is considering deploying a warship to the Middle East, whilst France is reportedly preparing to relocate air defence systems to Cyprus. It comes after a drone strike on a British base there.
Paris will send a frigate alongside anti-missile and anti-drone equipment to the nation, according to the semi-official Cyprus News Agency. The Press Association understands the UK is examining whether to dispatch a Type 45 air defence destroyer to the area amid claims of insufficient air protection as the Middle East conflict continues escalating.
No final determination has been made regarding warship deployment. HMS Duncan could be the Type 45 destroyer deployed to the region, having recently finished training exercises focused on neutralising drones.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge argued HMS Duncan should “go now” because “we need the highly capable air defence it provides to protect RAF Akrotiri”.
He questioned: “It begs the question: why wasn’t she already there?”.
Sir Keir Starmer authorised the US on Sunday to utilise British bases for “defensive” attacks on Iran’s missile installations, one day after joint American-Israeli military operations against Tehran commenced over the weekend.
Shortly after, a drone struck RAF Akrotiri, a British sovereign air facility on the island, though the Prime Minister stated it was launched prior to his announcement and wasn’t retaliatory.
Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed there were no casualties and base damage was minimal. The families of military personnel have been relocated from the base as a safety measure.
On Monday, a Cypriot government representative confirmed that two additional unmanned drones targeting the base had been successfully intercepted.
Mr Healey described the drone strike on Akrotiri as demonstrating the “dangerous and indiscriminate attacks” carried out by Iran and its allies.
Cypriot government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis discussed the prospect of French assistance on Monday, informing journalists it might involve “support similar to that of Greece”.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides held a telephone conversation “in the context of strengthening the precautionary measures being taken”, he revealed.
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said 130,000 British nationals have registered their presence in the Middle East. A Government charter flight is set to take off from Muscat, Oman, “in the coming days” she also told the Commons.
The conflict between Iran and the US and its allies has caused widespread airspace closures in the Middle East, sparking major disruption to flights.
Ms Cooper told MPs it is “a very fast-moving situation” with “unprecedented numbers of British nationals in the region”.
She added: “As of this morning, 130,000 British nationals have now signed up to the Register Your Presence Programme, which is vital to the Foreign Office’s ability to know where people are and to provide updates and advice.
“Members will know that in many of these countries, the airspace is still closed, but I am in close contact with my counterparts across the region, speaking again yesterday with the UAE on the excellent support that they are providing and some of the departures that they are now securing as this becomes viable.
“We are also working with airlines on increasing capacity out of Muscat for British nationals, with priority for vulnerable nationals, and a Government charter flight will fly from Muscat in the coming days, prioritising vulnerable nationals, but British nationals in Oman must wait to be contacted by the foreign office regarding these options, and we will continue to work 24/7 on supporting British nationals in the region.”
