Royal Navy: HMS Duncan to undergo maintenance after Portsmouth destroyer's huge Mediterranean mission

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A Portsmouth-based destroyer will be going into a period of maintenance after returning to the city for Christmas.

HMS Duncan will not be taking on any imminent operations after returning from the Mediterranean last December. Jubilant crowds of well-wishers gathered at HMNB Portsmouth to welcome the crew home, unperturbed by the bitterly cold winds of Storm Darragh.

Commander Dan Lee, Commanding Officer HMS Duncan, said: “We are in Portsmouth for a planned period of maintenance following a six-month deployment. We look forward to getting back to sea in the coming months.”

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HMS Duncan will be undergoing a maintenance period after spending six months on deployment in the Mediterranean.HMS Duncan will be undergoing a maintenance period after spending six months on deployment in the Mediterranean.
HMS Duncan will be undergoing a maintenance period after spending six months on deployment in the Mediterranean. | Mike Cooter (081224)

The Type 45 destroyer was originally tasked with replacing HMS Diamond in the Red Sea in an effort to deal with Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and protect merchant ships. Her tasking was then changed after tensions started to build between Hezbollah, a militant group based in Lebanon, and Israel. Evacuations were considered a possibility due to the worsening conflict.

During her six-month deployment, HMS Duncan had sailed more than 36,000 nautical miles and held naval operations alongside 21 allied warships. A total of 89 sorties were carried out, where aircraft move from defensive into attacking positions, alongside 400 landings on the flight deck. Crew members carried out exercises alongside personnel from Germany, France, Italy, Canada, Spain Cyprus and the United States.

HMS Duncan acted as the main escort ship for American taskforces in the region, operating in an air defence capacity for the USS Wasp task force. Speaking after the return to Portsmouth in December, CO Lee added: “I could not be prouder of my ship’s company and all they have achieved.

“Despite a significantly compressed regeneration period following last year’s deployment, they stepped up at every opportunity, displaying remarkable dedication, professionalism and an unwavering sense of duty in often dangerous situations. As we return home in time for Christmas, with my team selected as the best destroyer in the fleet, they should be rightly proud of everything they’ve done.”

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