LONDON — The deployment of a German ship to the North Atlantic has laid bare the strains felt by Britain’s Royal Navy, which have become increasingly visible since the beginning of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

The German frigate Sachsen will take over as the flagship of a NATO mission in the North Atlantic, replacing Britain’s HMS Dragon, one of Britain’s six Type 45 destroyers, which has been sent to the Mediterranean to help defend Cyprus. 

British personnel will remain in command of the task force, but will carry out their duties from the German vessel, according to two people familiar with the arrangement.

HMS Dragon’s redirection to the Mediterranean was the target of fierce criticism in the U.K., since it was not ordered to leave until 36 hours after a drone struck an RAF base in Cyprus and took several weeks to reach its destination. 

The deployment of the Type 45 has left the U.K. with only one other destroyer in service, which is committed to a separate Carrier Strike Group mission in the High North.

HMS Dragon’s replacement with a German ship calls fresh attention to the state of Britain’s shrunken maritime forces as it sends assets to the Mediterranean, while trying to meet its NATO obligations in the Atlantic and High North. 

Ben Obese-Jecty, a Conservative MP and former serviceman, said: “It is a national embarrassment that the Royal Navy has run out of ships.”

However, John Foreman, a former U.K. defense attaché and naval officer, said: “Commanding a NATO force from an allied ship is not new, but this deployment again shines a light on low frigate and destroyer numbers, and low availability of the ones we have.”

A No. 10 Downing Street spokesperson said: “There are a range of different ways in which we are defending our interests in the region.”

A Whitehall official, granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, acknowledged “an increasing demand on defense that spreads far beyond the Middle East,” but insisted that the Ministry of Defence is able to focus on both theaters at the same time.

British naval capabilities have also come under scrutiny following the return of minehunter HMS Middleton from Bahrain just as strikes on Iran began, and the U.K.’s ambitions to lead efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The Navy’s resources have been steadily depleted over decades, with the number of warships and frigates falling steadily since 1945 to just 13 last year. 

Successive governments have failed to invest in the maritime forces, leading to older platforms remaining in service for longer, orders for new platforms being delayed, and a downgrade in maintenance due to cuts. 

The Navy also faces problems with recruitment, meaning that even if more ships were available, there would not necessarily be enough personnel to operate them.

Keir Starmer has blamed the Conservatives for “hollowing out” the armed forces while in government, and hopes to reverse the trend by building 13 new frigates, three new support ships, and new ballistic missile submarines.

Chris Lunday contributed to this report.