The UK warship HMS Dragon has begun its journey to the eastern Mediterranean to join the UK's defensive operations in the region.
The Type 45 destroyer left its dock in Portsmouth on Tuesday afternoon, having only recently come out of maintenance, according to the Royal Navy.
As reported by The Sun, the HMS Dragon's primary role will be protecting RAF Akrotiri, which was hit with an Iranian-made drone earlier this month.
Defence Operations
Defence Secretary John Healey told the House of Commons on Monday that the drone had come from Lebanon or Iraq.
HMS Dragon is armed with Sea Viper missiles and will be assisted by Wildcat helicopters from the 815 Naval Air Squadron equipped with Martlet missiles capable of taking out aerial drones.
Ship Preparation
The ship's commanding officer Cdr Iain Giffin said in a statement: "My ship's company have worked tirelessly to ensure we are ready for our mission to the eastern Mediterranean."
Healey praised the efforts of the Royal Navy in preparing HMS Dragon for deployment, saying: "What is normally six weeks of work was completed in just six days - a remarkable effort delivered round the clock.
Additional Deployments
The RFA Lyme Bay has been told to be prepared to deploy "as part of prudent planning... should she be needed to assist in maritime tasks in the eastern Mediterranean", the Ministry of Defence has said.
The auxiliary vessel is equipped with an aviation platform and has medical facilities, meaning she can play a role in evacuations and medical treatment.
HMS Prince of Wales - one of the UK's two aircraft carriers - has also been placed on heightened readiness, with defence sources telling the BBC that its crew had been told to be ready to set sail in five days.
