Direct proof of use
The Type 23 / Duke-class frigate is directly documented in the 2023 Red Sea Crisis through HMS Richmond's 2024 Red Sea deployment. The UK Ministry of Defence said Richmond took over from HMS Diamond on 6 February 2024 to protect shipping in the Red Sea, carrying Sea Ceptor, medium guns, machine guns, small arms, torpedoes, a Royal Marines boarding team, and a Wildcat helicopter.
Royal Navy reporting on 13 March 2024 said Richmond had spent nearly six weeks on Operation Prosperity Guardian duties and that its Sea Ceptor system was used to down two incoming Houthi drones. The same account described the intercepts as the first time Sea Ceptor, the frigate fleet's air-defense missile system, had been used in anger.
Sources: UK MOD HMS Richmond Handover, Royal Navy Richmond Red Sea Mission
Timeline
Richmond left Plymouth at the beginning of January 2024 and formally took over the Red Sea protection mission from Diamond on 6 February. UK official reporting framed the task as protection of merchant shipping and freedom of navigation during continuing Houthi attacks on commercial vessels.
By 13 March, Richmond had completed nearly six weeks in the high-threat operating area. Royal Navy reporting said the frigate had been heavily engaged at action stations and then used Sea Ceptor over the final weekend of the deployment to destroy two incoming Houthi drones before handing Red Sea responsibilities back to Diamond.
Sources: UK MOD HMS Richmond Handover, Royal Navy Richmond Red Sea Mission
Operational role
Richmond's documented role in the crisis was naval air defense and force protection for commercial shipping under the multinational maritime-security response. The Type 23's relevant combat use was defensive: the ship deployed as an escort, maintained readiness against aerial and surface threats, and used its Sea Ceptor system against Houthi drones.
The available official accounts identify HMS Richmond as the Type 23 involved, the Royal Navy as the operator, the Red Sea as the operating area, Operation Prosperity Guardian as the mission context, and Houthi drones as the documented targets. They do not provide a public day-by-day sortie record or name the exact merchant ships being protected during the two-drone engagement.
Sources: UK MOD HMS Richmond Handover, Royal Navy Richmond Red Sea Mission
