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Posted on 03/07/2026 5:22:12 AM PST by DFG
The Royal Navy’s mission to intercept Iranian drone threats has stalled in port because the Portsmouth repair yard now operates on a “nine-to-five” schedule.
The high-stakes mission to protect a British airbase from Iranian drone strikes remains on hold while maintenance crews finish welding and system overhauls during standard business hours, according to union officials, The Telegraph reported. The deployment of HMS Dragon, a Type 45 air-defense destroyer designed to intercept high-speed missile and drone threats, to Cyprus has been delayed because the Ministry of Defence and private contractor Serco reportedly introduced these restricted shifts as a “cost-cutting” measure that sacrifices military readiness for budget targets.
Prospect General Secretary Mike Clancy slammed the current contract, saying that national security shouldn’t rely on the “goodwill” of staff volunteering for overtime. The union, which represents the engineers and tugboat workers tasked with prepping the fleet, claims the new labor agreement effectively ended 24/7 staffing at the historic Portsmouth base.
“Our members are stepping up to help, but such a vital service shouldn’t be dependent on goodwill from staff. Out-of-hours support should be locked into the contract,” Clancy said, The Telegraph reported. “This contract has failed its first real encounter with a serious crisis and must be urgently reviewed and rectified.”
Defense Minister Al Carns admitted the warship will not depart until engineers complete “a variety of different bits of maintenance” required for its new mission in the Mediterranean. Carns told reporters the ship was originally suited for a different mission and required a total re-mission of its weapons systems to defend against aerial threats.
As the HMS Dragon sits in dry dock, the U.K. finds itself lagging behind international allies who have already moved assets into the region. Military analysts point out that the air-defense destroyer is now expected to arrive in Cyprus a full two weeks after French and Spanish warships have already reached the theater of operations.
Serco Marine Services, the private firm managing the port services, disputed the union’s claims by saying that its core working day runs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“HMS Dragon is being prepared to sail, with the full support of our dedicated teams in Portsmouth. Serco has fulfilled every task requested by the Royal Navy on time and to the agreed standard,” a spokesperson told The Telegraph. “Any suggestion that the working patterns of Serco employees have impacted HMS Dragon’s ability to sail is completely untrue.”
However, union sources insist the reality on the ground is far more rigid, claiming “some specific tasks in the contract are 9-5 on weekdays.” The sources told The Telegraph that the new £1 billion (approx. $1.34 billion) contract reduced essential cover and forced the Navy to rely on staff volunteering for weekends to get the ship combat ready.
President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States had launched Operation Epic Fury alongside Israel’s Operation Lion’s Roar, initiating a massive air campaign that targeted Iranian nuclear facilities and military infrastructure. The attack prompted Tehran to retaliate by attacking targets across at least nine countries, including those in the Gulf and Mediterranean.
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Thought it was the Bee for a minute.
They’ll get there the day after the war is over.
And I thought American unions were bad. SMH
When my company was bidding on an Australian navy project the request document specified that we could not use Australian labor, transport or logistics services. We had to supply everything, transport, technicians, installation personnel, etc. I asked why and the answer was Australian unions would hold them up, demand concessions and pay and this could happen at any time and there was nothing the government could do except concede.
At the time we generally bid air travel at $15,000 per person and about $1000 per day overhead per person. That does not include pay. So, the added costs were substantial. But still cheaper than dealing with the unions.
Yes...For God’s Sake, don’t work overtime to protect your country and your countrymen and women....
Wow! A mission to intercept Iranian drone threats on bankers hours. Amazing
Me too. I remember working 14-16 hr days while in the yard and trying to sleep in the berthing while all the grinding and banging raged around us. It sucked!!! I wasn’t married, so I lived on the boat. Didn’t sleep for almost two months. Now single sailors get berthing barges or put up in friggin hotel rooms.
That’s one really expensive way to run a shipyard.
I would expect this out of the French.
Sad what Great Britain has turned into.
My usual rant about unions does not apply. This is 100% in accordance with UK government policy.
So did I, had to look twice
guessing a bunch of shia mooselimbs in that union.....
The Bee has nothing on the Royal Navy, they are nearly un-parody-able... 🤣
Look for the union label
The best they've got in the moment is the daily firing off of salvos of political gas and gasligthing. Press included, which so often prints ( and twists ) messaging against the Trump-Vance administration.
We went into drydock in Hoboken, NJ. They built us brand new barracks.
Imagine if Argentina tries to retake the Falklands again (assuming they have the capability)?
> Prospect General Secretary Mike Clancy slammed the current contract <
This is a very confusing article. I just looked it up. Clancy is the head of the union. Is there something in the contract that prohibits overtime work?
It looks like Clancy is upset about it. So if the union didn’t put it there, who did?
Don’t forget afternoon tea breaks.
And bangers and bitters for lunch.
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