HMS Diamond joins new international task force to protect shipping in …

The UK has committed the Type 45 Daring-class destroyer HMS Diamond to Operation ‘Prosperity Guardian', which has been set up to protect merchant shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. (UK Ministry of Defence 2020)

The UK Royal Navy (RN's) Type 45 Daring-class destroyer HMS Diamond (D 34) has joined the newly formed multinational security initiative international task force set up to protect merchant shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The new naval protection force, dubbed Operation ‘Prosperity Guardian', was established by US secretary of defence Lloyd Austin on 18 December in response to the recent escalation in Houthi attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea originating from Yemen.

In a 19 December announcement the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) said it had committed Diamond to Operation ‘Prosperity Guardian' following a virtual meeting of 20 international defence ministers led by Austin to discuss the operation and security situation.

Alongside Diamond, the task force comprises three US destroyers. The French multimission frigate Languedoc is also currently on deployment in the region.

“All are currently operating in the southern Red Sea, with the multinational partnership focusing on protecting freedom of navigation, international trade and human life by countering illicit non-state actors in international waters,” the MoD said.

Meanwhile, the Italian Ministry of Defence announced on 19 December that it will relocate its Bergamini-class FREMM multimission frigate Virginio Fasan (F 591) from the eastern Mediterranean to the Red Sea as part of its national Operation ‘Secure Mediterranean' deployment.

Diamond