HMS Dragon finally sailed from Portsmouth, ending Britain’s embarrassing failure to send a single warship to the Middle East.
Sailors’ families waved from the harbour after frantic efforts by engineers to repair the Type-45 destroyer allowed her to cruise into the Solent.
The ship’s anti-drone systems have been upgraded and new weapons to knock out Iranian missiles have been fitted.
The £1billion warship was in dock undergoing welding work when the Royal Navy thrust her back into service.
On Tuesday night, naval sources described Dragon as ‘one of the world’s most capable air-defence warships’. Her role will be to detect, track and destroy aerial threats.
Dragon left Portsmouth as the first US B-1 Lancer bomber left a British base to launch a strike on Iran.
The aerial mission followed a furious row between Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump over whether America can use British bases after the Prime Minister previously declined the US President’s request.
Dragon will take a week to reach Cypriot waters. Once there she is expected to join Greek, French, Italian, Spanish and Netherlands’ ships. France in particular has stolen a march on Britain, with President Emmanuel Macron committing at least eight French ships to the eastern Mediterranean and the Strait of Hormuz.
HMS Dragon finally sailed from Portsmouth as it begins its journey towards Cyprus
Family and friends waved loved ones off as HMS Dragon set sail from Portsmouth Harbour
HMS Dragon’s departure from the home of the Royal Navy was something of a surprise on Tuesday – after Defence Secretary John Healey told the Commons on Monday that she would leave ‘in the next couple of days’, giving rise to suggestions she may not depart before Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Mr Healey paid tribute to military and civilian staff who prepared HMS Dragon, saying: ‘I have only praise for our teams who worked flat out.
‘What is normally six weeks of work was completed in just six days. A remarkable effort delivered around the clock. They are the very best of Britain in action.’
The destroyer’s departure came hours after Ministry of Defence officials confirmed that the UK’s designated civilian evacuation vessel, RFA Lyme Bay, is being readied for a possible deployment.
With 173,000 Britons having registered their presence in the region, Lyme Bay could play a key role in evacuation efforts. The 579ft Bay-class dock landing ship – part of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary – was on a shortened ‘notice to move’ period on Tuesday.
If her involvement is approved, she is expected to rescue UK civilians stranded in countries such as Lebanon, sailing them to relative safety in Cyprus.
On Tuesday night, defence officials said preparations for a possible deployment of RFA Lyme Bay were ‘prudent planning’. But the ship, which would carry a contingent of Royal Marines and medical specialists, could have been readied in January when other preparations were made.
Neither ship is expected to play any part in operations to unblock the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important maritime oil and gas route.
Meanwhile, UK forces have continued to knock out Iranian drones. British pilots have completed more than 230 flying hours on defensive operations.
On Tuesday, Sir Keir held talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni about the security crisis.
Downing Street said they ‘agreed on the vital importance of freedom of navigation for vessels through those waters’. Naval sources added that HMS Dragon’s deployment was one element of a wider approach taken since January to prepare for conflict in the Middle East.
Sir Keir Starmer has held talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni about the security crisis
The other measures included deploying radar systems, air defence and F-35 jets. Over the past week the Ministry of Defence has added further counter-drone specialists, additional Wildcat and Merlin helicopters and four more Typhoon jets to Qatar. A US B-1 bomber took off from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on Tuesday night on what is expected to be the first strike against Iran from UK soil.
The B-1, which can carry 75,000lb of bombs or missiles at over 900mph, is a supersonic strategic bomber designed for long-range missions and heavy payloads.
After the aircraft flew to the UK from the US when Sir Keir belatedly gave permission for the US to launch strike operations from British bases, Reform leader Nigel Farage said the UK should not join
Donald Trump’s war on Iran.
Mr Farage said: ‘Given that we can’t even send a Royal Navy vessel to defend British sovereign territory and an RAF base, we don’t have the capability to offer anything of value to the Americans or the Israelis. If we cannot defend Cyprus let’s not get involved in another foreign war.’
