HMS Diamond will take over from HMS Richmond, which joined
Operation Prosperity Guardian - the international coalition to
protect commercial shipping from Houthi attacks - in February.
Just this weekend, HMS Richmond successfully repelled a Houthi
drone attack in the southern Red Sea, shooting down two attack
drones using Sea Ceptor missiles. This is the first time a UK
warship has fired a Sea Ceptor missile in combat.
The deployment is part of the UK’s broader response to Houthi
attacks, which has also included intercepting weapon-smuggling to
Yemen, imposing sanctions to hold members of the Houthis to
account and conducting proportionate and targeted strikes against
Houthi military targets in Yemen.
Defence Secretary said:
Protecting shipping around the world is one of the Navy’s key
tasks and this deployment shows how our highly skilled sailors
and advanced warships are helping to keep our sea lanes safe.
Britain continues to be at the forefront of the international
response to the Houthis’ dangerous attacks on commercial vessels,
which have claimed the lives of international mariners.
I thank the crew of HMS Richmond for their incredible work and am
confident that HMS Diamond will continue to stand up for freedom
of navigation and the safety of seafarers.
HMS Richmond, which left Plymouth at the beginning of January, is
designed for a variety of operations and is fitted with a Sea
Ceptor missile system, providing a powerful shield against
airborne threats, including hostile combat jets, helicopters and
other missiles. After handing over to HMS Diamond, she will
return to the UK via Saudi Arabia for a period of maintenance and
resupply.
HMS Diamond previously operated in the region in December and
January, maintaining a near constant presence in the ‘high threat
area’ of the Red Sea. The destroyer came under fire in three
separate attacks Houthi rebels, successfully destroying nine
drones using her world-class Sea Viper missile system and guns.
HMS Diamond has sailed nearly 20,000 nautical miles on patrols
since leaving Portsmouth at the end of November – almost enough
to carry her around the globe – while her Wildcat helicopter has
flown more than 53 hours of sorties over the Red Sea and Gulf of
Aden making its crew the busiest in the Royal Navy.
The UK remains committed to deterring the Houthis from their
indiscriminate attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The
Houthis’ illegal attacks have claimed the lives of international
mariners and continue to harm the global economy and undermine
the stability and security of Yemen.
