British warship set to support French carrier group on ISIL mission
Type 45 destroyer HMS Defender will support the French carrier group
HMS Defender. Crown Copyright
The Royal Navy warship HMS Defender will support the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle when she deploys to tackle ISIL. The ship will provide air defence cover for the French carrier.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said:
France is firmly resolved in its determination to tackle ISIL and we need to help too.
This barbaric terrorist organisation must be destroyed and it’s right that we offer all the support we can to confront them.
We will continue our own advanced surveillance and strike missions against ISIL. They are a threat to our security in the UK, as well as to France and the rest of Europe.
We will consider any further requests for support from France under Article 42.7 of the EU Treaty following Friday’s Paris terror attacks.
HMS Defender sailed from Portsmouth last month for a nine-month deployment under the command of Commander Stephen Higham.
HMS Defender is capable of carrying out a wide range of operations, including anti-piracy and anti-smuggling activities, disaster relief work and surveillance operations as well as high intensity warfare.
Defender has a ship’s company of 230 and commissioned on 21 March 2013.
HMS Defender is the fifth of the Royal Navy’s six Type 45 Destroyers. She was launched by her sponsor, Lady Massey, on Trafalgar Day (21 October) 2009.