The United Kingdom is thinking about sending a Royal Navy destroyer to Cyprus. Defense Minister John Healey is looking into deploying a warship to boost the defense of British bases. This comes after several alleged drone attacks targeted the RAF Akrotiri base on the island.
According to The Guardian, sources from the Ministry of Defense say that sending HMS Duncan, which is currently in Portsmouth, is being discussed. This move aims to better protect the base in Cyprus. However, one of the other two available destroyers might be chosen instead. HMS Duncan is good at counter-drone operations and took part in a test exercise off Wales last month, where it faced swarms of drones. It recently hosted a family day, but it’s unclear how ready it is to set sail right away.
It’s estimated that it will take about five to seven days to reach Cyprus from Portsmouth, traveling at around 30 knots (34.5 miles per hour). The United States hasn’t said how long they will continue bombings against Iran. However, on Monday night, Donald Trump mentioned that the war could last four to five weeks.
John Foreman, a former UK defense attaché in Moscow, was surprised by London’s delay in sending a warship to protect Cyprus and British bases. This is especially notable given the US military mobilization before the joint attack on Iran on Saturday. He pointed out that the UK’s current plan to send a destroyer to the Eastern Mediterranean shows it should already be there.
The HMS Duncan is 152 meters long and weighs about 8,000 tons, with a crew of around 190 people.
Cypriot officials say France has already agreed to send a frigate and counter-drone systems to Cyprus. A support request has also been sent to Germany and is under review. So far, no major Royal Navy warship has been deployed in the Middle East, even though the conflict has been going on for four days and British interests have been targeted. Only a minesweeper, HMS Middleton, is based in Bahrain.
