HMS Dragon is a Type 45 air defence destroyer. When I visited Portsmouth Dockyard last September she was being refitted prior to her current deployment in the South Atlantic.

Less than a year after she returned from operations in the Gulf and Eastern Mediterranean the Type 45 destroyer will take over from HMS Iron Duke to continue the UK’s commitment to the region building on the UK’s strong ties with its allies.

During her time away Dragon will visit several ports in the South Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well as visiting a number of West African States to build on UK relationships.