The destroyer HMS Dragon (Type 45 destroyer), which the United Kingdom has decided to deploy to Cyprus, has reportedly been delayed because the naval base where it is being prepared operates only during standard working hours, according to a report by the The Daily Telegraph published on Friday.
Citing union sources, the newspaper said the base in Portsmouth, where HMS Dragon is docked, currently operates under restricted hours.
Cost-cutting measures
According to the union Prospect, which represents workers at the base, the UK Ministry of Defence has introduced strict weekday working hours — from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. — as part of cost-cutting measures. As a result, the ship cannot be prepared more quickly despite the dedicated efforts of staff, the union’s General Secretary Mike Clancy said.
The union also referred to changes in the port’s service contract following an agreement between the Ministry of Defence and Serco Marine Services, claiming that the previous 24-hour operational capacity has been reduced, affecting operational readiness.
Serco rejected the allegations, stressing that work is proceeding as normal. The company said standard working hours run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the possibility of overtime when required.
According to the newspaper report, it may ultimately take more than two weeks for the vessel to reach Cyprus. In addition to refuelling operations, the destroyer is expected to undergo about a week of maintenance in dry dock.
Numerous maintenance tasks
UK Armed Forces Minister Al Carns said the ship needed to undergo a series of technical works and be reconfigured for a different mission before departing for the Eastern Mediterranean. For that reason, it will not set sail until engineers complete “a range of different maintenance tasks”, he added.
Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has faced criticism for taking more than 72 hours after the outbreak of the Middle East conflict to decide to deploy a Type 45 destroyer such as HMS Dragon to the region.
Critics argue that, although many had assessed that a military confrontation was highly likely, the government had not taken earlier precautionary steps.
According to reports, the Royal Navy operates six Type 45 destroyers. Three of them are currently laid up for maintenance, while the remaining three require preparation time before they can be deployed operationally.