All posts tagged: HMS

Royal Navy to send HMS Dragon to Strait of Hormuz | World | News

Royal Navy to send HMS Dragon to Strait of Hormuz | World | News

Published by Sam Flores

Royal Navy warship HMS Dragon is being sent to the Middle East in preparation for a potential international mission to safeguard shipping through the blockaded Strait of Hormuz. The Type 45 destroyer will “pre-position” in the region, ready to join the UK and French-led initiative once hostilities cease between Iran and US-Israeli forces, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said. A fragile ceasefire remains in place, despite American forces hitting two Iranian tankers allegedly attempting to breach a US blockade of the strait. Donald Trump is attempting to put pressure on Iran by preventing ships travelling to or from its ports along the narrow waterway, restricting Tehran’s ability to export oil. The Strait of Hormuz — through which 20% of the world’s oil supply usually passes through — has effectively been closed since early March. Iran began stopping shipping traffic from passing through the chokepoint in response to US-Israeli strikes, causing disruption to supply chains and oil prices to surge. Earlier this week, a French container ship was struck in the Strait of Hormuz, injuring several …

Royal Navy warship HMS Iron Duke ‘quietly withdrawn’ to leave Britain with just five active frigates

Royal Navy warship HMS Iron Duke ‘quietly withdrawn’ to leave Britain with just five active frigates

Published by Sam Flores

The Royal Navy’s active frigate fleet has reportedly shrunk to just five vessels after HMS Iron Duke was effectively taken out of service, despite no official decommissioning announcement. The Type 23 warship has been stripped of its weapons and sensors and has not been operational at sea since last October, according to specialist news website Navy Lookout. This development comes as the Ministry of Defence (MoD) progresses plans to replace its Type 23 frigates, including HMS Iron Duke, with a new generation of warships. Eight anti-submarine warfare Type 26 frigates are expected to join the fleet before 2030, complemented by five general-purpose Type 31 frigates. The MoD plans to replace Type 23 frigates, including HMS Iron Duke, with a new generation of warships (PA Media) The modernisation aims to build a “hybrid” force, integrating crewed ships with drones and other advanced technology, a vision outlined by First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins. The decision to effectively sideline HMS Iron Duke follows the government’s confirmation last November that a planned conversion project for the vessel …

Humiliation for Starmer as UK warship HMS Iron Duke taken out of service | Politics | News

Humiliation for Starmer as UK warship HMS Iron Duke taken out of service | Politics | News

Published by Sam Flores

The Royal Navy has been left with only five active frigates after another warship was withdrawn, it has emerged. It is believed HMS Iron Duke is unlikely to set sail again, heaping further pressure on the stretched Senior Service. HMS Iron Duke has reportedly been stripped of her weapons and sensors. The Type 23 frigate has not been to sea since October and has been effectively withdrawn from active service, according to specialist website Navy Lookout. It comes less than three years after the warship completed a five-year life extension programme, costing £103 million. The Navy’s Duke-class Type 23 frigates have an end of service date in 2035 but are gradually being retired. There has been no formal decommissioning announcement regarding HMS Iron Duke. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said any decision will be announced “in the usual way”. Retiring HMS Iron Duke would leave the Navy with just five frigates, with HMS Richmond’s decommissioning this year confirmed. The Type 23s are mainly used to monitor potential Russian activity in waters around the UK, with …

Two reasons it took so long to deploy HMS Dragon – and former Navy commander says ‘neither are good’

Two reasons it took so long to deploy HMS Dragon – and former Navy commander says ‘neither are good’

Published by Sam Flores

HMS Dragon has finally left Portsmouth and is on its way to protect the UK’s airbase in Cyprus from attack. But RAF Akrotiri was hit by a drone more than a week ago – with others intercepted – so why has it taken so long for the ship to set sail? Former Royal Navy commander Tom Sharpe told Sky’s This Is Why podcast that shooting down drones is “bread and butter” for the stealthy Type 45 destroyer. Iran latest: US has destroyed 16 mine-laying boats, says Trump He said there were two key reasons the ship had only just been deployed – and “neither are good”. The first is down to a “30-year decline” in defence spending – a topic in sharp focus since the Ukraine War – which means the Navy’s cupboard is “very bare”. He singled out the period when David Cameron was prime minister. “The strategic defence review in 2010 [and] the Cameron-Osborne austerity review really expedited that decline, and for that period of Tory government no new warships were ordered,” Mr …

UK will deploy HMS Dragon in Cyprus, Sir Keir Starmer confirms | World News

UK will deploy HMS Dragon in Cyprus, Sir Keir Starmer confirms | World News

Published by Sam Flores

Britain will deploy HMS Dragon and helicopters with anti-drone capabilities in Cyprus, Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed. The prime minister said on social media he had spoken with the president of Cyprus about deploying the Type 45 destroyer, which is the only type of equipment the Royal Navy has to shoot down ballistic missiles. It confirmed an earlier report from our security and defence editor Deborah Haynes the UK was considering the deployment of a Type 45 air defence destroyer to Cyprus to help defend the RAF bases there. It is not thought HMS Dragon, currently in Portsmouth, will head off on Tuesday. But the ship, which should take five to seven days to get to the region, will be leaving shortly. Iran latest: UK confirms it is sending warship to Cyprus Datawrapper This content is provided by Datawrapper, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Datawrapper cookies or to …