HMS Diamond has docked in Palma, Mallorca, for a well-deserved break after months of deployment in the Red Sea and the Middle East.
The arrival of the Type 45 destroyer was announced by UK Defence in Spain via Twitter, expressing a warm welcome in both Spanish and English.
Bienvenido a Mallorca! @hmsdiamond atraca en Palma para un descanso merecido, camino a casa, después de meses en el Mar Rojo y el Medio Oriente.
Welcome to Palma, HMS Diamond, have a good break at the end of your Red Sea deployment. @Armada_esp pic.twitter.com/L8EJDIsh19— UKDefenceinSpain (@UKDefenceSpain) June 26, 2024
On 15 December 2023, the destroyer shot down a suspected attack drone launched from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen, targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea. This marked the first time in decades that the Royal Navy had engaged an aerial target in combat.
Following this, HMS Diamond joined an international task force to protect ships travelling through the Red Sea amid increased attacks from the Iran-backed Houthi militia. On 9 January 2024, the ship repelled the largest Houthi drone attack to date, using its Sea Viper missiles and gunfire.
The heightened hostilities led to a series of missile strikes against Yemen. HMS Diamond was temporarily relieved for maintenance and resupply in Gibraltar in February 2024, displaying kill markings for nine Houthi drones shot down in three engagements. After resupply, HMS Diamond returned to the Red Sea to escort ships and defend against further threats.
On 24 April 2024, it successfully intercepted a Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile, marking the first ballistic missile kill for the Sea Viper air defence system and the first Royal Navy missile-to-missile interception in combat since the Gulf War.
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Whilst Palma’s a nice break having global presence and delpoyment options means crew will have option to see more far flung exotic places. Not sure patrolling around places that can be visited on cheap Ryan Air flights will ultimately help recruitment if we roll back closer to home.
Too few. Deserved break Diamond!
Malta or Cyprus must be missed. Oman not closer?
And if we had more we would not be giving the the vessel the T23 treatment and potentially meaning we run it into the ground and expensive refits required to get its planned life.
Have we ever got close to all in service ?? I know we would plan to have some out for refit etc…..feels we have had 2 maybe 3 at best