British military forces have intercepted a one-way attack drone launched from Iran towards Iraq, according to the Ministry of Defence.
In a statement released on Sunday, the MOD said UK forces “successfully engaged” the drone during defensive operations in the region. The incident occurred while RAF Typhoon and F-35 aircraft were conducting patrols as part of wider defensive activity across the Middle East.
The ministry said the engagement took place as UK aircraft continued defensive sorties alongside allied forces. “The engagement occurred as RAF Typhoons and F-35 jets continued to conduct defensive sorties across the region,” the statement said.
The announcement comes amid heightened tensions involving Iran and Western forces in the region. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has spoken with US President Donald Trump about military cooperation after criticism from Washington over Britain’s initial hesitation to authorise US strikes on Iranian missile sites. Downing Street later confirmed the Prime Minister granted permission for defensive US military action against Iranian missile positions to be conducted from UK bases.
The deployment of additional surveillance assets is also expected to strengthen allied air defence in theatre. A Royal Navy Merlin Mk2 helicopter equipped with the Crowsnest airborne surveillance and control system is due to arrive in the region, enhancing the ability to detect incoming drones and missile threats.
The Crowsnest system provides airborne early warning and command capabilities and is designed to identify both aerial and surface threats at range. The capability, operated from Merlin helicopters, is currently scheduled to remain in service until the end of 2029.
F-35 + Typhoon air patrols over Iraq from Akrotiri?
Where did you think they Flew from ?.
Can’t say I know exactly where we have aircraft based outside of the Gulf States. Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Jordan come to mind though can’t find anything officially stated but then why would they. Qatar we know they primarily operate from, which could cover Southern Iraq and certainly its approaches from Iran. We have operated Reapers from Kuwait and have long had RAF personnel in Saudi too though again nothing official about either these days as it’s a little sensitive. Even the Govt’s website pleads ignorance on Saudi since its controversial Somalia campaign.
Surely this isn’t going to be headline news just shooting down ONE drone?
More to the point WHY are we spending £Ms getting POW ready to go to the eastern med when all the aircraft required for AD are already in Akrotiri or in the gulf states! Surely the money would be better spent on actually getting other ships ready to be able to go to sea if nothing else!
What other ships?
QE is in dry dock for scheduled work.
Three T45 are in deep refit, two are fully functional and Daring is working up.
Most of the RFA is inactive other than the Tides due to in year savings.
T23 are struggling as there are now only 7 very fragile hulls. One of which is fully deployable and the others are in over haul or have persistent defects: they are falling to bits party to do with cheap skating the refits to produce in-year savings….
Morning SB. I hope the “we’re okay brigade” are reading your post. What a state we’re in. 😒
We are OK for PoW, Merlin, Wilcat and to an extent F35B.
We will be ok for AAW when the PiP cycle finished and a normal CIP / upkeep cycle replaces it so that only one T45 is in deep maintenance at any one time.
The big problem is frigates and they fell apart faster than predicted as the T45 PiP program had been phased to that full T45 capability was in place as T23 number fell.
SB,
Perhaps a priority to reestablish a sonar capability, however limited a hull sonar is, to the T-45 class? Possibly a basic sonar capability enhancement of T-31 class? Hardly ideal, but needs must.
If you look one of the T45s has been on an ASW exercise.
There has been a studied silence on T45 sonar which usually means something is going on.
T45 will now be quiet(ish) as it can run on the new DGUs without using GTs at all. The DGUs will be in enclosures.
I’d be more than suprised if, given the various things going on, T45 hadn’t been upgraded with exT23 kit.
👍😊. And a hull and/or tail capability insertion for T-31? Would appear to be an intuitively obvious measure … 🤔
Sory for the delay. I have been having access problems for some reason. Yes, there is no reason why we can’t run a carrier on an almost full time basis in most bur not all years. Yet more delays with the lightning of course, both in terms of numbers and capablity. A prioity surely must be for the government to allow 24 hour working to get the 45’s to sea. We are not likely to have to worry about ASW in “peacetime”, at least in the short term,but we badly need AAW NOW! If only Starmer and Co. would see sense we should also oreder another three or five 31’s. It would obviously improve number but aslo show potential buyers that we are committed.
PR exercise, we have made ourselves look weak with our inability to dispatch one ship to the Med quickly.
I hope Argentina is not paying attention to this.
😂
Being reported that the govt are downplaying deployment of POW to the Med. The rationale would be to position a flat top ‘opwind’ of the drone threat to give the Wilcats and Baggers more time on station. Argus would have been nice.
One moment the Govt gets criticised for not sending assets then for preparing to send assets. However I may have heard it wrong but I understood that POW already preparing for operations elsewhere was simply put on an enhanced rolling 5 day preparation to sale should it be deemed necessary. If so seems sensible to me should it be deemed Cyprus is likely to be seriously targeted. Just a back up option I reckon for as you say other options and choices seem to take precedence. Seems more a pr exercise to me in the main.
9 days in, and the IRGC are proving to be a tough opponent. The missiles and drones keep coming
It was estimated that Iran may still have about 70 mobile ballistic missile launchers left.
I think the US/Israel will need to keep the campaign going for a few more weeks until we see Iran’s counterstrikes suppressed.
I’m not so sure as they will run out of launchers at some point.
They do have some fixed underground launch points too.
Drone will still be used when they can no longer launch BMs.
I’m certain they’ll be able to keep firing off drones for the rest of the year. They probably have underground manufacturing facilities.
Seems to be another ill-fated “3 day special military operation”…
I wouldn’t be surprised if we see drones flying from the Zagros mountains to the strait of Hormuz for the next few months if not longer.
I think Iran has realised that the most effective use of its military resources is to close the Straits and inflict economic mayhem planet-wide.
It’s still keep up other attacks, like that spectacular one that just missed the main terminal at Dubai airport the other day. Or the THAAD radars ($500m each) it knocked out on the first-day. But inflicting economic pain is the best way to TACO 🌮 their survival.
Also worth keeping in mind that this is going to boost Russian energy exports so they may be interested in helping them keep the strait closed.
Defo. The US has already given India a 30 day waiver to buy Russian oil because of the conflict induced shortage. Russia will want to see that extended.
Indeed how can drone supply be reliably stopped. We produced Spitfires in garages and all manner of locations in months from Supermarine’s factories being totally destroyed and we were producing a lot more than the loses sustained a few months later and a little later than that out-producing Germany on fighters. I’m sure the Iranians have been long prepared for continuing drone production after heavy air raids after all it’s a massive Country.
On a related note despite all Trump’s grandiose hype it was only announced today by the IAEA that Iran still has a stock of enriched Uranium available so no certainty even there. Not sure even ballistic missile production can be totally eliminated, depends on intelligence I suspect.
Ballistic missile production is far more difficult than drones, but I’m sure they’re going to be holding some back for a clear opportunity to take out a USN warship should they begin doing escort duties.
As for drones, the only difficulty in maintaining production will be securing the electronics they require. Given that even Russia is still getting grey imports of western chips then…
Does the term appeasement mean anything to you?…
Yes, it’s what American has been doing since Putin invaded Ukraine.
Had they resourced Ukraine like the could have done from the start, Ukraine would be free and Putin would be dead and replaced.
That said, Trump in the last year has taken appeasement to a whole new level.
Christ, talk about building up your part. Sometimes, in fact in war most of the time, it’s best to say nothing at all
Well said. Especially when you have nothing to brag about.
You can see it now POW leaves with a couple of F35s on deck,when she gets there all F35s already there gets quietly moved to her and then. Starmer tells the world what an incredible show of force we have here!
It could be more rational than that as the QECs are set up to sport deep maintenance on F35 as is Marham but is Akritori?
*support
Fair point but this fiasco could have avoided IF the govt had listened to the navy when they suggested putting Dauntless in place and with the few extra jets Cyprus and the gulf states could have been covered! As it is now we are going to be spending £Ms more of the defence budget that I’m sure the navy could have made much better use of!
It would make sense to move them all aboard rather than duplicating maintenance and arming on board PoW and Akrotiri. If dispatched I can see PoW being deployed closer to theatre to provide air-cover for tankers going through the Straits. It’s their closure that is the biggest threat to the UK economically.
I can see why that works but if Cyprus needs a T45 AND PoW needs a second T45 as AAW cover or equivalent how can the UK support a CSG for the Straits? Can’t see it happening or is that me?
Cyprus doesn’t need a T45, which is why there wasn’t one there to begin with.
The Wildcats and Crowsnest Merlin sent would free up the F35s currently there to be transferred to PoW.
Hopefully a CSG won’t be sent to the reopen the Straits – the Yanks created this mess, they should clear it up. But with Dementia Don in charge he might not even prioritise the Straits.
My money is on PoW and Dragon sailing together to Cyprus. F35s and Crownest all taken onboard and the Eastern Med is covered. The US can have the Indian Ocean end and the Straits.
Why isn’t the eastern med covered by Akrotiri? The T45 would have been there to cover Cyprus despite spock saying one wasn’t needed why did other nations deploy ships to the region and we are scrambling Dragon to get there?if the rumours of dockyard workers only working a day shift and no weekends is true that is bloody scandalous.
NL said last week that Dragon would provide better radar coverage. Akrotori radar is shielded by mountains for low level drones(?) which is why Crownest is needed at altitude, so say other more knowledgeable than me.
So, put PoW as a maintenance base for F35, reduces airframe wear on Merlin (Crownest) and add Dragon for 24 HR coverage supporting PoW as part of a CSG?
The T45 isn’t needed.
Every single drone since the first has been splashed long before it reached the island. Which is why we are not ‘scrambling’ Dragon, despite the howls from the media as to why it’s not sailed yet.
As for the other nations sending their ships? Ask them.
Showing solidarity with another EU member (it’d look bad if only the Brexiteering British were defending the island)? Seeing if their systems can spot and track Shahed drones (cf the Danish Red Sea embarrassment)?
Who know, but what is known is that none of these EU warships have shot anything down…
Righto it’s just going on a pleasure cruise then🙄overkill or not IF Dauntless had of been in the area as the navy suggested before all this kicked off then none of this bloody nonsense would be going on and our standing would not have taken such a walloping in the eyes of our allies.
what are you on about? French Navy and Italian Navy have shot plenty of drones, cruise and ballistic missiles in the Red Sea.
stop deluding yourself
So LordTemplar thinks Cyprus is now in the Red Sea 🤦🏻♂️
No it’s not going in a pleasure cruise idiot. It’s being positioned so that it can be used for other things.
Our reputation hasn’t been “ walloped in the eyes of our allies”. A single drone, launched from Lebanon, got through at the start and hit a runway, none since. If you think that “wallops” our reputation, you must think the USA has zero reputation. Seven servicemen dead, two possibly three THAAD radars knocked out ($1bn each) and their bases across the Gulf hit numerous times.
Reports it’s now at least 8.
I think that’s unnecessary overkill for the Eastern Mediterranean. Akrotiri is doing fine now without either T45 or PoW.
I guess considering the screaming about not ‘doing anything’ and being caught napping by the usual suspects in the media they need to at least show some signs of preparation and action stations, needed or not. Seeing the range of opinions even on here from why aren’t we sending our whole fleet to support the greatest wartime President in the whole history of God Blessed America, to why are we wasting money sending ships unnecessarily at all, it really is an impossible task winning any pr war, let alone any other.
Completely agree with you.
TBH despite the economic shock the world is facing, I’d prefer leaving escorting of ships through the Straits to the USA.
Partly, because they caused this entire mess…
Partly because the Iranians could inflict greater losses on conveys and escorts than the Argentines did in the whole of the Falklands War…
The Straits aren’t a sea passage, they’re a trap.
You have no fleet… Which is why it’s not doing anything at the moment
That is just a joke… The air defense battery in the fall cleanse should be in Cypress because there is zero freaking threat to the Falkland Islands. That is kind of a geriatric fetish thing from 1982
It’s so sad seeing your decline into dementia. Perhaps you can get your nurse to translate that gibberish into English?
Aircraft would join after sailing, no clearance for arrival in the dockyard.
Stating facts isn’t necessarily bragging though is it. Not sure they actually wish to brag about their enforced engagements in this war, especially if there is no conclusion to be had.
Why are we defending Iraq? They have got over 50 combat aircraft (fighters, multirole & attack aircraft)
I assumed it was headed westwards and not targeted at them.
‘The Iranian drone that struck a UK air base in Cyprus on 1 March carried a Russian-made navigation system Ukraine’s air defenses had already intercepted months earlier… the first confirmed evidence of Russian military hardware inside an Iranian weapon used in the current Middle East conflict.
Tehran supplied the airframe, Moscow is paying back in at least guidance hardware.
The recovered component is a Kometa-B navigation system — a Russian-made anti-jamming module first identified by Ukrainian air defenses in December 2025 Russia had developed a new generation of its Kometa navigation chip for use in glide bombs and Shahed-type drones — though whether that earlier variant and the Kometa-B now recovered from the Akrotiri drone are the same module is not clear from available reporting.
The Kometa-B appearance inside the Shahed that hit RAF Akrotiri, launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon, means the same hardware Kyiv flagged over its own cities three months ago has now struck a British military installation. British military intelligence has sent the recovered components to a UK laboratory for further analysis.’
Low and slow with advanced anti jamming is doing the damage. But acoustic sensors, thermal day/night would have picked it up…if Akrotiri had any!
Embarrassing…chickens…roost etc. HMG very lucky not to be looking at serious losses of blood and treasure…so far…
Still, looking on the bright side, Crowsnest will sort things out at Akrotiri…won’t it?
‘To keep a Merlin in the air 24/7 will not be attempted as this would require at least 4 or 5 aircraft and a large number of engineers and aircrew. Instead, flying time will have to be balanced with threat levels and availability of Protector and other ISR assets. However, even a sortie per day for a few weeks would quickly rack up precious airframe hours, a significant consideration for the RN’s small fleet of 30 Merlin Mk2s, which has been extended in service until 2040.
The RN has 10 Crowsnest kits that can be fitted to different airframes as required. Installation and removal are not simple and around 6 cabs are fitted at any given time. The deployment to Cyprus may also impact ASaC Merlin availability to embark on HMS Prince of Wales if the carrier strike group were to be deployed.’
Oh for heaven’s sake!
RAF Akrotiri motto:
‘Acra semper acria’
‘The peninsula is always ready and eager’
The ‘good’ news just keeps coming don’t it?🙄
Impossible to see all this coming…or.not really…Words fail…
Quite complex reliably detecting Shahed especially without experience. We have sent sophisticated mobile drone passive detection systems to Ukraine but they only work of course if the Shahed is ‘phoning home’ or in some other way giving off signals, many of them do not do so. So you need various overlapping systems including acoustic and radar to cover each others weaknesses. Even then radar doesn’t easily recognise them especially in an environment where operators are still inexperienced under such threat and where there will be a fair amount of non drone potential targets that one has to be sure about.
Out of interest the drone at the British base hit a hanger and yet only a hole is the obvious result, so did the warhead not actually go off I wonder or was it a very basic drone with little firepower.
The frustrating thing is that we almost certainly have all the ingredients, acoustic, radar, thermal, also Crowsnest, C2, to make Akrotiri a great deal more secure but we lack ‘mass’ across the piece. That can only be because of a lack of political will (from successive governments of all the major parties) to defend this country, its people, its interests, and its allies. Simply to state ‘It was a very different world thirty five years ago’ is no defence.
Deterrence should be non negotiable.
Information in the public domain re drone used in UAE attack:
‘…the partially visible serial number on the Geran-2: KB 1070… The letters KB indicate that the drone was assembled at the Kupol plant in Izhevsk rather than at the Alabuga production facilities in Tatarstan, whose products carry the markings Ы and Ъ.
Drones from this production batch are equipped with the jam-resistant Kometa-M communications system. They are also characterized by the near-total absence of Iranian components, most of which have been replaced by Chinese parts.’
The drone used against Akrotiri may, of course, have been completely different.
Again, in the public domain, the Akrotiri drone was detected 30 km out but apparently Shahed transition to ultra low level for final approach to target.
As to the lack of perceptible damage, a thin hangar wall would presumably cause the small warhead to detonate in a relatively unconfined space, considerably reducing its effect, particularly if, fortuitously, the hangar was empty?
Ukraine counters Shahed with sensor equipped mobile kinetic fire teams. But mass is required!
basically just propaganda