The Royal Navy has dispatched the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon toward the Eastern Mediterranean to rebuild a high-end air-defense shield around Cyprus and reinforce British protection of RAF Akrotiri after a drone strike landed within 800 yards of UK personnel. Dragon sailed from Portsmouth on March 10 as part of a wider package that already includes Wildcat helicopters armed for counter-drone work, a Merlin airborne surveillance helicopter in Cyprus, additional fast jets, radar, and ground-based air defense. Operationally, London is moving from static base protection to a layered maritime-air shield. Read more...
HMS Dragon deploys to the Eastern Mediterranean to strengthen British air and missile defense around Cyprus, bringing advanced Sea Viper interception capability to protect RAF Akrotiri against growing drone and missile threats (Picture source: UK Royal Navy).