HMS Dragon is not even halfway to Cyprus after being dispatched to defend British forces from drones.
Sir Keir Starmer had ordered the Type 45 destroyer to set out after RAF Akrotiri, a British base on Cyprus, was hit by a drone on March 1.
But now – more than two weeks after the beginning of the war in the Middle East – the £1billion air defence ship has only reached the UK base in Gibraltar.
Following the attack on the RAF base, sluggish Starmer took two days to order the Royal Navy into action – and while HMS Dragon was chosen, the ship was undergoing maintenance in Portsmouth.
Sailors worked around the clock to finish welding before loading the HMS Dragon with Sea Ceptor missiles and stores.
And despite their best efforts, the ship didn’t leave Portsmouth until March 10.
The vessel spent a further three days off the coast of UK before setting off for the Med.
Pictures today have shown the air-defence warship making a logistical stop at Gibraltar this morning.
Whilst in the British Overseas Territory she is expected to take on fuel and supplies before heading into the Mediterranean for the next leg of the journey.
But it means the HMS Dragon is not even halfway to Cyprus despite the drone attack being over two weeks ago after dithering from Sir Keir.
The PM has faced scathing criticism over the sluggish deployment and has been accused of leaving the base vulnerable without enough air defence weapons.
Starmer was also blasted for his response to the Middle East crisis, which has opened up a new rift with US President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, HMS Dragon’s stop-start mission has also highlighted criticisms over the strength and readiness of the Royal Navy.
Navy sources insisted “they did six weeks’ work in six days” to get the vessel ready to sail.
But the remaining sea distance from Gibraltar to Cyprus across the Mediterranean Sea is approximately 1,900 to 2,000 nautical miles.
Much of the criticism was levelled at the PM and former British leaders who have allowed the fleet to shrink to its smallest size ever.
Former First Sea Lord Admiral Lord West fumed: “There is no understanding in government of the importance of maritime power.
“There isn’t a single warship between Singapore and Gibraltar.
“It’s astonishing that no one had the geopolitical sense to make these decisions earlier.”
The £1billion vessel’s responder, which broadcasts position, was switched off after the ship set out.
However, it is understood the UK are not re-tasking ships away from the planned carrier strike mission to the high north.
This voyage remains critically important to European allies by deterring real and present Russian aggression.
It comes after a weapon evaded air defences and hit a hangar used by US spy planes near family homes in Cyprus.
Senior officers ordered military dependants to evacuate the base amid fears of more strikes.
The Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyers, like HMS Dragon, have Britain’s best air defence missiles.
Their radars can track 1,000 objects from 250 miles away and blast up to eight missiles simultaneously to intercept targets. But all six were stuck in port when the drone hit on March 1.
Only three were classed as operational, including HMS Dragon, which meant they should have been ready to sail at 72 hours’ notice.
But HMS Dragon was stranded in dry dock without weapons and had scaffolding on when the PM ordered her to sail.
Five of Britain’s six destroyers were in port for repairs as the UK base came under attack
Only one of the Royal Navy’s top air defence ships was fully operational at the start of the Iran crisis – with experts warning Britain isn’t ready for war.
Out of the six Type 45 Destroyers, only HMS Duncan was ready to go, The Sun understands.
HMS Diamond and HMS Defender are all currently undergoing long-term maintenance while HMS Daring has been out of action completely for an astonishing nine years.
Meanwhile, HMS Dragon was also undergoing repairs – along with HMS Dauntless – but officially both were considered operational along with HMS Duncan.
Former Royal Navy Commander, Rear Admiral Parry, who served in Northern Ireland, the Gulf and the Falklands, told The Sun the situation was a farce.
He blasted the government as “dreadful” and “strategically illiterate” after failing to anticipate conflict in the region.
“There’s nothing out there, there’s nothing in the Mediterranean for the first time in ages. We’ve withdrawn everything from the Gulf for the first time in 50 years,” he said.
“The government is absolutely strategically illiterate. The prime duty of the government is to defend this country and its interests and to deter aggression – it has absolutely failed in that number one responsibility.”
While former head of the Royal Navy, Admiral Lord West told The Sun the Navy “hadn’t been kept up to speed” and had been “sitting for too long”.
“We ought to send two [destroyers] minimum because when you’re in war, things get hit,” he said.
“That’s what happens. Or something goes wrong. We are pussyfooting. We need to bloody well get our act going.”
He continued: “Iranians consider us as part of the problem. We have to realise we are effectively at war with them.
“They see us as an enemy, they will fight us where they can. We’ve got to be willing to do exactly the same back.”
The delays heaped pressure on Starmer, who was accused of leaving UK interests exposed as tensions with Iran deepened.
Donald Trump slammed Sir Keir’s wavering response to the conflict last week.
The US President has said of Sir Keir: “This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with.”
Trump said that he hoped the UK would join a Strait of Hormuz taskforce to re-open the vital waterway.
He announced an international effort to release Iran’s stranglehold on the Strait, dubbed the Valley of Death after eight seamen were killed in attacks on 20 ships.
The US President said a number of countries would be sending warships to protect oil tankers, which would hopefully include the UK.
