It comes just days after one of Britain's bases on the island was attacked.
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The Defence Secretary has insisted the UK has been preparing to step up air defences in Cyprus “for weeks” amid allegations the Government has “dragged its feet” over the war in the Middle East.
Speaking to LBC’s Deputy Political Editor Aggie Chambre, John Healey rejected suggestions the UK has been slow in its response to attacks on British bases in the Mediterranean and insisted our relationship with the US remains “strong and deep” despite recent attacks on the Prime Minister by Donald Trump.
Britain maintains sovereignty over two bases in Cyrpus – Akrotiri and Dhekelia – as part of the 1960 treaty which established Cypriot independence from the UK. The bases cover “roughly three per cent of the island” and are among the 14 surviving British Overseas Territories, such as Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands.
A separate treaty signed at the same time obliged Greece, Turkey and the UK to guarantee the independence, territorial integrity and security of Cyprus.
When pressed on why HMS Dragon, which is not expected to reach Cyprus until late next week, was not deployed sooner, Mr Healey said: “We had already, weeks ahead of this conflict, already strengthened air defences here on the island of Cyprus, not just to defend this base and our British forces personnel, but the island of Cyprus and neighbouring allied countries.
“We put extra air defences and fast jets in into Qatar as well to do the same thing.
“We put extra air defences and fast jets in into Qatar as well to do the same thing.
“So, leading a coordinated regional defensive operation that we expected would be needed and that we've flown and helped lead from day one of this conflict.”
Downing Street has faced widespread criticism for its response to an attack on the Akrotiri airbase – with many claiming it has been too slow and could lead to a loss of British troops.
HMS Dragon is due to make the journey next week, but it could take seven days to reach the Mediterranean island.
Despite this, Mr Healey does not think it should have been deployed sooner.
Insisting he isn’t “annoyed” by the delay, he added: “We're responding and I'm making decisions as things change, as we have to adapt the action that we're prepared to take.
“And I'm stepping up the air defences as we need to.
“So today we've got our top air defence planners coming into the island.
“They're going to help coordinate the ships and the systems that other allies are now starting to put into the area as well, alongside the UK.”
A key feature of this conflict so far has been Donald Trump’s anger at Sir Keir Starmer for refusing to allow the US to use British bases in the opening stages of the war.
But Mr Healey told LBC the so-called “special relationship” remains “strong and deep” despite these “ups and downs.”
“The special depth of, particularly the military and security relationship between the UK and the US goes back decades,” he said.
“It's deep, it's strong. We do things together that no other nations do. And it has survived the ups and downs of politics on both sides of the Atlantic over the years.
“At the moment, we are in this conflict, still coordinating extremely closely with the US. And our top military planners and air defence experts arrive in Cyprus today and they will work alongside the US planners to coordinate the strengthening of air defences and defences of Cyprus, our people here, and of our allies in the region.”
