UK Weighs Sending HMS Duncan to Cyprus Amid Drone Threats to RAF Base
Defence Secretary John Healey is actively considering the deployment of a Royal Navy destroyer to Cyprus to enhance the protection of British bases on the Mediterranean island. This move comes in response to several apparently hostile drones that have targeted RAF Akrotiri, raising significant security concerns.
Deployment Discussions Underway
Defence sources have confirmed that the potential dispatch of HMS Duncan, currently stationed in Portsmouth, is under serious discussion as a measure to better safeguard the base in Cyprus. However, alternative options are also on the table, with the possibility that one of two other destroyers might be sent instead, highlighting the fluid nature of the strategic planning.
HMS Duncan is notably specialised in counter-drone operations, having recently participated in a test exercise off the coast of Wales where it faced swarms of drones. The vessel hosted a family day just last Friday, though its immediate readiness to set sail remains unclear. If deployed, it would take approximately five to seven days to travel from Portsmouth to Cyprus, moving at a speed of around 30 knots (34.5mph).
Criticism and International Context
John Foreman, a former UK defence attache to Moscow, expressed surprise at the delay in deploying a warship to protect Cyprus and UK bases there. He pointed to the highly visible US military buildup prior to its joint attack on Iran last Saturday as a contrast. "That the UK is now 'considering' sending a destroyer to the eastern Mediterranean is a clear indication one should have been there already," Foreman stated, underscoring a perceived lapse in proactive defence measures.
In a related development, France has already agreed to send a frigate and anti-drone systems to Cyprus, according to Cypriot government officials. A request for support has also been made to Germany, which is currently under consideration. Foreman added, "This latest pondering appears driven more by news that the French are sending ships to the area. The MoD has consistently been behind the power curve and is now scrambling to catch up. A failure of planning, of intelligence, and of foresight."
Current Naval Presence and Incident Details
No large Royal Navy warships are currently deployed in the Middle East or the region, despite the conflict now entering its fourth day and British interests being directly targeted. The only Royal Navy vessel in the area is a single mine hunter, HMS Middleton, based in Bahrain.
The urgency of the situation was highlighted by a recent incident where a Shahed-type drone breached Akrotiri's air defences on Monday, causing minor damage as it crash-landed on the runway. This occurred even though counter-drone units were deployed on site. Two other incoming drones were intercepted later that same day.
Cypriot sources believe the drone that hit the runway was flown from territory in Lebanon controlled by Hezbollah, a pro-Iranian proxy group, though this has not yet been confirmed by the Ministry of Defence. In the aftermath of the first incident, Cypriots living near Akrotiri were advised to shelter in place, and families of UK service personnel are being relocated off the base as a security precaution.
Images circulating on social media appear to show that the drone had a Russian-made antenna, but this detail also remains unconfirmed. The US has provided no indication of how long it intends to continue bombing Iran, though former President Donald Trump suggested on Monday night that the war could last four to five weeks.
