Understand
Crowds welcome HMS Dragon back to Portsmouth after seven months
Overview
Crowds of family and friends gathered at Portsmouth dock to welcome home the Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon. The ship returned after spending seven months deployed in the eastern Mediterranean, where it joined the UK's defensive operations and protected RAF Akrotiri following a drone strike.
Key points
- HMS Dragon returned to Portsmouth after a seven-month deployment to the eastern Mediterranean.
- The Type 45 destroyer originally left Portsmouth on March 10, 2026, to join the UK's defensive operations.
- The ship's primary role during the deployment was protecting RAF Akrotiri following an Iranian-made drone strike in early March.
- Family and friends gathered at the dock waving Union flags and holding banners to reunite with their loved ones.