The HMS Dragon, the frigate that Britain sent to the waters of the Eastern Mediterranean, is returning to a port in the region for a “routine resupply stop and a short maintenance period.”

The UK Ministry of Defence states that this stop will allow the ship to refuel, as well as to “optimize its systems and carry out maintenance work.”

“HMS Dragon will remain at a very high level of readiness during this period, ready to set sail at short notice if required,” it also notes.

Sky News reports that the HMS Dragon’s resupply stop had been planned from the outset at around this point in its mission. The stop will also be used to fix a minor technical issue with the ship’s water systems.

The Type 45 destroyer arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean on March 23, 12 days after departing for Cyprus and nearly a month after the start of the war.

It had been deployed to help defend British military bases from Iranian attacks, with particular emphasis on protecting the RAF base at Akrotiri in Cyprus, and is capable of intercepting various types of drones and ballistic missiles.