The vessel spent the previous two weeks undergoing training and assessment to ensure readiness of its 230-strong crew, systems and weaponry. The preparations were conducted following an accelerated readiness process at Portsmouth Naval Base.
General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, said: “HMS Dragon was rapidly brought to readiness and deployed from Portsmouth earlier this month and will now play her full part in defending Cyprus and the wider Eastern Mediterranean. Equipped with the cutting-edge Sea Viper system, she can tackle a wide range of threats.”
“On her way to the region, her crew have undertaken essential training to ready themselves for this mission, and I have every confidence that they will rise to the task before them,” he added. “In uncertain times, her presence is a visible demonstration of the Royal Navy’s commitment to protecting our people and our interests, at home and overseas.”
HMS Dragon is equipped with the Sea Viper air defence system, capable of tracking hundreds of targets simultaneously and engaging multiple threats at high speed. The system can launch eight missiles in under ten seconds and guide up to 16 missiles at once towards their targets.
The destroyer is operating alongside other UK defence assets in the region, including Wildcat helicopters armed with Martlet missiles, F-35 stealth aircraft and Merlin helicopters designed for early warning of aerial threats. Additional radar and air defence systems are also contributing to the overall defensive posture.
The ship’s deployment followed an accelerated preparation period in Portsmouth, where six weeks of work were completed within six days. The crew then conducted further training during a 3,500-mile transit to Cyprus, including a logistical stop in Gibraltar.
Commander Iain Giffin, Commanding Officer of HMS Dragon, said: “It has been a busy three weeks getting the ship fuelled, stored, ammunitioned, worked-up and deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean. My team has been put through its paces conducting mission rehearsal training during our transit to Cyprus and they have stepped up to the challenge and delivered with their characteristic determination, professionalism and good humour.”
“I am immensely proud of what Dragon has achieved and we are ready to do whatever our country calls us to do,” he added. The training programme included air defence exercises, live firing of onboard weapons, damage control, firefighting and medical response drills.
Additional scenarios covered person overboard procedures and aircraft crash response on deck. The Royal Navy said the exercises were designed to prepare the crew for a wide range of operational contingencies in the region.
