We're doing all we can to protect Cyprus, insists Defence Secretary as he thanks personnel
The UK is doing all it can to defend Cyprus against any attack launched by Iran or its allies, John Healey has insisted.
During a visit to the island, the Defence Secretary was asked how a single, cheap drone had been able to pierce the layers of defence at Britain's most important overseas base.
"You can never guard against every attack. This was a small drone. Our best assessment is that it was fired from Lebanon, not from Iran," he said.
Defences being bolstered
Mr Healey said he had been stepping up air defences, radar systems, anti-drone systems and electronic warfare systems in Cyprus weeks before the conflict started.
"[This] was an important part of making sure that I feel we're doing everything that we can, that the Prime Minister wants us to do, to protect our bases and our personnel, but also to protect our allies like the island of Cyprus," he said.
RAF F-35B and Typhoon fighter jets, supported by Voyager air-to-air refuelling tankers, have been flying defensive sorties, including over Qatar and Jordan.
And across the UK's bases in Cyprus, 400 additional UK personnel are supporting air defence activities.
British counter-drone specialists who have worked closely with Ukrainian experts have also deployed to the region to work with partners on counter-drone and defensive capabilities.
No destroyer on station at the moment
Acknowledging the steps Mr Healey had already taken to defend the island, he was asked why a Type 45 destroyer or other Royal Navy warship with an air defence capability had not already been sent.
"That was an option that was put to me this last week and to the Chief of Defence Staff at the same time," he replied.
"And as we have now seen the extent of the Iranian threat, its response to the first phase of strikes, I've given the go-ahead for it to be deployed out here to reinforce still further the defences that we can offer to the region and to the base and to the island of Cyprus."
Thanks to personnel and their families
A large number of people live at RAF Akrotiri and most of those have been evacuated - about 1,000 non-essential personnel and families.
Mr Healey was asked what he would like to say to them as they continue to be away from their partners and loved ones who are helping to defend the island from drone attacks.
"My first message is thank you," he said. "You're supporting our forces personnel here in Cyprus that are doing an extraordinary job.
"And I want to say thank you on behalf of many Brits, but also many people in Cyprus that won't have a chance to say thank you for themselves.
"This is an uncertain and worrying time. I gave the go-ahead for them to be moved into hotels at 3am on Sunday morning because we'd started to see very clearly how the Iranian regime was reacting.
"Increasing threats, increasingly indiscriminate widespread strikes, but I'm very proud of the support they give.
"I'm even more proud of the forces personnel, the 400-strong extra British forces we've got on this island as part of the air defences and defence of this island and defence of the base.
"Everything that we have done is defensive, is legal and is visible to people."
He added: "They're doing an outstanding job, not just to defend our base or defend the island of Cyprus, but defend our partners in the region and the civilians, the Brits that are finding themselves in parts of the Middle East and now targeted by an Iranian regime that is striking out in an increasingly indiscriminate, widespread and uncontrolled way."
What of HMS Dragon?
Mr Healey was asked whether Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon would still be needed when she does arrive.
"None of us know. That's the nature of conflict," said the Defence Secretary. "It can change very rapidly. It can change in ways that cannot be predicted.
"The important thing then is you're ready to adapt the action you're willing to take, which is why today that I've sent - and we're expecting overnight - the first two Wildcat helicopters, anti -drone helicopters that will help defend this island, this base and our personnel here.
"And why Dragon will reinforce those defences in the future and why we've got some of our top military C2 planners [command and control specialists] capable now not just of coordinating our own and the US's air defence systems, but the contribution that we're seeing from other nations like Greece and Germany and France now being put into the area."
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