What to know about HMS Dragon as it leaves Portsmouth for eastern Mediterranean

• UK warship HMS Dragon has departed Portsmouth for the eastern Mediterranean a week after its deployment was announced, amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
• The Type 45 destroyer, with a crew of around 200, is specifically designed to counter aerial threats, including drones and ballistic missiles, particularly those potentially fired by Iran and its proxies.
• It boasts the capability to launch eight Sea Viper missiles in under 10 seconds to intercept incoming targets.
• One of the Royal Navy’s six Type 45 destroyers, these Portsmouth-based vessels serve as the fleet’s primary line of defence against aircraft, missiles, and drones, able to protect an area up to five times the size of Cyprus.
• The journey from Portsmouth is estimated to take between five and seven days.