‘We have an aircraft carrier – it’s called Cyprus’

British chief of the defence staff Sir Richard Knighton was on Thursday accused of leaving the country’s assets in the Middle East underprepared for a war in the region, with it being reported that he rejected suggestions that the country should deploy naval assets in advance of the conflict breaking out at the beginning of the month.

According to British political magazine The Spectator, a meeting of the United Kingdom’s national security council was held on February 27 – the day before the beginning of the conflict – and at that meeting, a national security advisor had suggested that the aircraft carrier the HMS Prince of Wales be deployed to the region.

The magazine reported that Knighton had responded by saying: “We don’t need the carrier. We don’t need the Navy. We have an aircraft carrier – it’s called Cyprus”.

On this matter, it was reported that he had pointed out that the UK’s Royal Air Force could launch jets from its Akrotiri air force base in Cyprus.

However, the report stated, while intelligence officials were appealing for “a range of options” on the matter to be put to British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Knighton refused, leaving the officials “very, very cheesed off”.

As such, it reported, Knighton has “lost the confidence” of Starmer’s office.

“He has failed to give the prime minister military capability, but also diplomatic and political credibility,” the report quoted sources as having said, though newspaper The Telegraph stated that the idea that Starmer has lost confidence in Knighton “couldn’t be further from the truth”.

The newspaper also quoted sources as having said that Knighton’s comments regarding the HMS Prince of Wales “have probably been a bit flippant”.

“Richard is a fan of the carriers. But carriers have their time and place. Just because we have one, doesn’t mean we should use it,” the newspaper quoted sources as having said.

Those sources reportedly added that it would be “far quicker and cheaper” to fly F-35 fighter jets to Akrotiri.

F-35 fighter jets have been stationed in Cyprus since last month, and have since been deployed from Akrotiri in missions aimed at engaging and shooting down drones fired from Iran.

Three days after the conversation regarding the HMS Prince of Wales and Cyprus reportedly took place, the Akrotiri base was hit by an Iranian-made drone.

In the aftermath of the drone strike, Starmer announced plans to deploy the HMS Dragon Type 45 destroyer warship, which set sail from Portsmouth on Tuesday evening.

Three AW159 Wildcat helicopters and a Merlin Mk2 helicopter have also since been sent to the island, while British Defence Secretary John Healey visited the island last week and held a meeting with his Cypriot counterpart Vasilis Palmas, before promising that “top experts” had arrived on the island “to help coordinate the air defences”.

However, Starmer’s predecessor Rishi Sunak on Sunday accused him of lacking “strategic acumen” due to perceived delays in the deployment of British assets to the region in the aftermath of a drone strike on Akrotiri base.

“Given how much notice we had of these strikes, why was no ship moved to the Mediterranean to help protect our interests and allies? It is frankly embarrassing that the French appear to be doing more to protect Cyprus than we are, even though Cyprus is only a target because of our sovereign bases there,” he said.