Akrotiri, Cyprus. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed that the Akrotiri air force base in Cyprus has been used as a launchpad for missions aimed at engaging and shooting down drones fired from Iran.
Starmer shares Guardian report on first RAF F-35 shootdown on operations
Starmer shared on social media an article published by the Guardian, which interviewed an unnamed British air force pilot based at Akrotiri who said he had on Tuesday night become the first British pilot to shoot down a target from an F-35 fighter jet. Alongside the article, Starmer wrote: “British heroes protecting British lives”.
The pilot’s account aligns with British defence ministry statements about Tuesday’s operation, which said the engagement marked “the first time a [Royal Air Force] F-35 has shot down a target on operations”.
F-35 deployment and measures following drone strike
F-35 fighter jets have been stationed in Cyprus since last month, with six aircraft deployed from the RAF base in Marham in Norfolk, on the UK mainland. Starmer described this on Thursday as the “moving of defensive assets” to the island in advance of a potential regional conflict.
Starmer also said on Thursday that “I want to be really clear to everybody in Cyprus that we’re taking every measure that is needed to protect them, to protect the airbase, along with the other places in the region”, after criticism following a drone strike on the Akrotiri base on Monday.
After the drone strike, Starmer announced plans to deploy the HMS Dragon Type 45 destroyer and two AW159 Wildcat helicopters to Cyprus. The helicopters are expected to arrive on Friday, while a British defence ministry spokesperson told the Cyprus Mail on Wednesday that the British military is “working as fast as possible” to ready the ship for deployment.
US access to British bases and clarification on Cyprus
On Sunday night, Starmer said his government would allow the United States to use its military bases, commonly understood to mean the Diego Garcia airbase in the Indian Ocean and the Fairford airbase in Gloucestershire, on the UK mainland, in its operations against Iran.
Following the drone strike on Monday, Starmer said British bases in Cyprus are “not being used by US bombers”, while adding that the drone had not been fired “in response to any decision that we have taken”.
What do you think Starmer’s comments mean for security in Cyprus?