| Submit your comments on this article | |
| Arabia | |
| HMS Dragon Returns to Port for ‘Technical Issues’ | |
| 2026-04-08 | |
| [Telegraph] Warship had taken three weeks to arrive in region following drone attack on RAF base in Cyprus. HMS Dragon has been returned to port in the Eastern Mediterranean after experiencing problems with its water supply…
Sir Keir Starmer had faced fierce criticism over the sluggish deployment of HMS Dragon to protect the major British base as the conflict in Iran rages on. But the destroyer – which only arrived weeks after the fighting kicked off – is now heading away from the front line. The Ministry of Defence has revealed that the ship has sailed to a safe berth to undergo repairs, according to the MailOnline. The stop will reportedly include attending to what officials described as “a minor technical issue with onboard water systems”, the outlet reports. The MoD said that the vessel would retain a “very high level of readiness” and would be “able to sail at short notice if required”. It is currently unclear where exactly HMS Dragon is or what port it is going into for security reasons. However, the UK has naval bases on Cyprus and Gibraltar in the region. Defence insiders insisted there’s no crisis onboard, saying the crew have had full access to food and water throughout as it temporarily withdraws. They also stressed the stop-off had been planned in advance at “roughly this stage” of the deployment. HMS Dragon took a week to get to sea, a further three days to leave British waters, four days to call in Gibraltar and six to span the Mediterranean. Families gathered on the dockside as the Type 45 Destroyer left Portsmouth Harbour on March 10. The warship finally arrived in Cyprus in the last week of March. The air defence destroyer joined US and French warships to defend the eastern Mediterranean from Iranian missiles and drones. The Sun reported at the time that five out of six of the Royal Navy’s £1billion destroyers were in port being repaired while the RAF base in Cyprus came under attack. The MoD had told MPs that the HMS Dragon was “operational” which means it should have been ready to sail in no more than 72 hours. But her sailing came a week after Sir Keir Starmer ordered her to sea – and ten days after the strike on the Cypriot base. The sluggish response saw the ship engulfed in a row over Britain’s readiness to respond to a crisis – and the seemingly small size of the Royal Navy. The latest setback comes amid growing embarrassment, with US President Donald Trump and his War Secretary Pete Hegseth taking repeated swipes at the Royal Navy. Trump has slammed Sir Keir’s wavering response to the conflict more than once in the past month. A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said of the latest development: “HMS Dragon is undertaking a routine logistics stop and a short maintenance period in the Eastern Mediterranean allowing the ship to take onboard provisions, optimise systems and conduct maintenance. “HMS Dragon will remain at a very high level of readiness during the period, able to sail at short notice if required. “The UK continues to maintain a robust and layered defensive presence in the Eastern Mediterranean working in coordination with allies. “This includes Typhoon and F-35 jets, Wildcat and Merlin helicopters and advanced counter-drone and air defence systems.” The Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyers, like HMS Dragon, have Britain’s best air defence missiles. Their radars can track 1,000 objects from 250 miles away and blast up to eight missiles simultaneously to intercept targets. Two additional Merlin Crowsnest helicopters have also arrived in Cyprus. UK Typhoons and F-35 jets, supported by Voyager refuelling and Royal Navy Merlin and Wildcat helicopters have also continued their defensive missions across the region. | |
| Posted by:Clem+Elmish4239 |
| #8 |
| Posted by: NoMoreBS 2026-04-08 15:54 |
| #7 |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2026-04-08 10:24 |
| #6 |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2026-04-08 09:53 |
| #5 |
| Posted by: NN2N1 2026-04-08 08:03 |
| #4 |
| Posted by: Chantry 2026-04-08 07:55 |
| #3 |
| Posted by: NN2N1 2026-04-08 07:04 |
| #2 |
| Posted by: Knuckles Grundy 2026-04-08 06:48 |
| #1 |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2026-04-08 06:05 |