The United Kingdom has deployed HMS Duncan, a Type 45 air defense destroyer, to patrol the Red Sea.
The Royal Navy warship and its 200-person crew departed from Portsmouth on Monday and sailed toward the Middle East to protect vital trade routes from Houthi attacks.
It will replace HMS Diamond, which has been stationed in the Red Sea since late 2023.
“HMS Duncan will be ready to deliver on operations around the clock as we join efforts to protect trade routes from Houthi attacks, continuing the excellent work of HMS Diamond and HMS Richmond in the region,” said Cmdr. Dan Lee, commanding officer of HMS Duncan.
The warship was previously deployed in the Mediterranean Sea as part of a NATO task group.
HMS Duncan has the same Sea Viper missile system and radars found on HMS Diamond. The ship is capable of detecting and countering drone and missile threats.
A vital region for shipping, the Red Sea has become a battlefield between military forces and Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Over the past couple of months, the militant group has been targeting cargo vessels, causing shipping firms to divert their crews to safer but longer and more costly routes.
In December, HMS Diamond shot down a suspected Houthi attack drone.