Operation Epic Fury: How is the UK defending its assets in the Middle East?
We have more jets in the Middle East than in the last 15 years, the Defence Secretary has said.
John Healey told the House of Commons that UK Space Command is tracking daily Iranian missile activity and giving early warning to the UK's Armed Forces operating across the Middle East.
"When Iran started hitting out, putting British people and British allies and service personnel at risk, I committed further resources to the region, including more fighter jets, helicopters, and a warship," Mr Healey said as he outlined the support that the UK has offered the region so far.
During Mr Healey's ministerial statement to the House of Commons on the current situation in the Middle East, he said that Iran has so far attacked 12 countries and launched more than 3,500 ballistic missiles and drones.
"Iran is a threat to us all. It's lashing out, and its attacks across the region are escalating," he said.
BFBS Forces News has analysed the key assets protecting UK personnel and the wider region in the Middle East.
HMS Dragon
HMS Dragon, the Type 45 destroyer, has arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean to shield Cyprus in light of the drone strike on RAF Akrotiri at the start of this month.
The vessel has spent the last couple of weeks undergoing critical training and assessment to ensure that her 230 sailors, advanced systems and weaponry are ready for operations.
Her responsibilities include air defence, through using her Sea Viper anti-air missile system.
The Sea Viper is the Royal Navy's highly automated air defence system, which can launch eight missiles in under 10 seconds and fire up to 16 missiles onto a target simultaneously.
It can close in on a kill at up to four times the speed of sound, and manoeuvre at G-forces no human can endure.
Sea Viper, which can hit targets up to 75 miles away, was first used in combat three years ago to hit a suspected attack drone targeting cargo ships in the Red Sea.
Rapid Sentry
Gunners from the RAF Regiment, who are tasked with protecting bases, aircraft, and personnel, use a variety of kit to detect, disrupt and destroy hostile uncrewed aircraft, like the Shahed-136 drone deployed by Iran.
One of those is Rapid Sentry, which will be sent to Kuwait, according to the Defence Secretary. "Rapid Sentry is a battle-tested, ground-based air defence missile system that has already proved its worth. It has proved highly effective for UK forces taking down drones in the regions."
Rapid Sentry involves a radar unit that works together with a launcher that fires the Lightweight Multirole Missile, which is the same weapon that Navy Wildcats are equipped with, although in naval jargon, they are named the Martlet.
The RAF recently posted a video that showed 34 Squadron using Rapid Sentry at Air Defence Range Manorbier in Pembrokeshire, where it went up against Banshee drones.
"Rapid Sentry gives us a credible kinetic safeguard when a drone cannot be defeated electronically," Air Commodore Paul Hamilton, the Commandant General RAF Regiment, said.
F-35s and Typhoons
RAF and Navy pilots have been flying defensive missions to protect Cyprus, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, according to the Defence Secretary.
The F-35s and RAF Typhoons have been supported by Voyager aircraft, which are designed for air-to-air refuelling, so the fighter jets can continue their missions.
In February, six F-35B stealth fighters from 617 Squadron backed up the eight Typhoon jets stationed at RAF Akrotiri.
Earlier in the conflict, an RAF F-35B shot down a drone in Jordanian airspace. It was the first time that the stealth jet had destroyed an enemy uncrewed aerial vehicle in an active operation.
The pilots have so far accumulated nearly 900 flying hours.
Wildcat and Merlin helicopters
The UK has deployed a Merlin helicopter to Cyprus to guard the island, providing advance warning of any incoming drones or missiles, following a "Shahed-type UAV" crashing onto a hangar at the beginning of March.
An aircraft, aircrews and an engineering team from 820 Naval Air Squadron are currently stationed at RAF Akrotiri.
The Merlin, which is crewed by three personnel, is kitted out with the Crownest system, giving the aircraft an ASaC (airborne surveillance and control) capability.
Meanwhile, three Wildcat HMA2 helicopters have also been sent to Cyprus to secure the island.
The Wildcats are armed with air-to-air Martlet missiles to take out any drones that may be fired at the island.
The Defence Secretary confirmed that the UK will deploy the lightweight multirole launchers to Bahrain.
Counter-drone equipment
In Iraq, a ground-based British Counter-Uncrewed Aerial Systems unit has been taking out drones launched at coalition forces.
Autonomous minehunting systems
Autonomous minehunting systems are already in the Middle East, the Defence Secretary confirmed more than a week ago during a visit to Permanent Joint Headquarters at Northwood.
These assets will be crucial in defending the Strait of Hormuz, which is a narrow waterway south of Iran and one of the world's most important trade routes.
Remote-controlled boats and underwater robots can find and obliterate explosives from a distance.
"Iran is holding the Strait of Hormuz hostage by laying mines, targeting ships, including Red Ensign vessels and putting lives in danger," Mr Healey told the House of Commons.
The Defence Secretary said that the UK was looking to accelerate UK minehunting and drone technology, and added that he wants the UK to play a crucial role in securing the strait.
Stormer air defence vehicles
The Royal Artillery's Stomer air defence vehicles have arrived in Cyprus to bolster the systems already there.
The Stormer is a tracked vehicle derived from the CVR(T) Scorpion/Scimitar chassis.
The armoured vehicle can be kitted out with two types of missiles: the Starstreak High Velocity Missile and the Lightweight Multirole Missile.
The ones moved to Cyprus are fitted with the Starstreak HVM, which is designed to counter threats from high-performance, low-flying aircraft, as well as fast "pop-up" strikes by attack helicopters.
The missile uses a system of three dart-like projectiles, allowing multiple hits on the target.
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