The UK is in discussions with allies over potential action to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, as ministers confirmed existing military capabilities are already deployed in the region.
During exchanges in the House of Commons, Defence Committee Chair Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi highlighted the strategic and economic importance of the waterway, warning that disruption could have direct domestic consequences.
“I think it is in our national interests to stop the disruption to global shipping, because otherwise that will drive up the cost of goods and the cost of living,” he said, asking what response the government would make to a US request for support and how British personnel would be protected.
Responding, Defence Secretary John Healey said the UK was engaged in ongoing discussions with both European partners and the United States, stressing that any response would be coordinated.
“The strait of Hormuz is vital. It is vital to the international economy and to security. We are in continued conversations with European allies and the US,” he said.
He indicated that planning remains under consideration and would likely take a multinational form.
“These questions are complex, and any plans must be multilateral, with as many nations taking part as possible,” he added.
Healey also pointed to capabilities already positioned in theatre, suggesting that elements of the UK’s response are already in place.
“We have prepositioned in the region autonomous minehunting capabilities. We have counter-drone systems in action in the region, pulling down drones,” he said.
Looking ahead, he signalled further development of emerging technologies for regional operations, including interceptor drones.
“Alongside industry, we are looking at additional innovative options, including interceptor drones for the Middle East.”
It seems that what is needed is a combat air patrol of drones… covering the straight of Ormuz. A bit unusual…
UK was engaged in ongoing discussions, again, thats all we ever do.
Not sure if you are a real person or just a bot because you only ever seem to have Daily Mail style indignation in every comment but in this instance talking is the only thing we should be doing.
As America and its “mighty” navy just found out there is no forcing open the straits.
The only wait to get the straits open for commercial shipping is to get Iran to stop shooting at them.
We could have a dozen destroyers off the coast and it would make no difference.
If the war persists only a broad coalition of middle and regional powers that didn’t attack Iran will be able to work it to reopen them and the UK is the only country currently attempting to build such a group.
Well its a mess, the worlds mightest navy has not got what take to open the straits not with out losses. Fact is it not our battle never was, but we get insulted the dead from Afghan treated as nothing, because rightly we do not want or need a war. Fastest way to open the Strait is stop fighting.
I do understand some thing has to be done because our so called allie has started a war, said it won it mocks us but asks for ships.
We do talk and do not a lot else, because we have to. We have so little to offer to the fight and why risk our service personnel in yet another Yank war. 9 sq mind hunting was withdrawn from the Gulf as was the one some time to type 23’s, why?. Because the USA wanted us to do more in Atlantic and grean land ice land gap.
Every other story on here is about talk, projects, studies etc, not a lot going on just now and we have little to back it all up any way, may be you should admit that before lecturing. Its not our fight, the dead from Irag/Afghan are what happens when the Yanks get us involved in other wars just make it look a bit more legal and legit.
We may have put ships in harms way because we are forced to do some thing, pushed by an rude bulling USA. Hardly some thing to be ok with is it.
And yet it now appears that our new drone based mine hunting system (MCH) and its ability to be air deployed instead of only on a specialist ship (unlike France or US) is exactly what is needed and wanted in the region. It also appears that our wildcat with its sea spray radar and LMM system is possibly the best platform in the world to provide interdiction against USV’s and Drones all while our airforce is doing sterling work in providing air defence while, simultaneously the Americans are begging and threatening us to use our sovereign air bases in the region and Europe, as they are the only ones that can support US bomber aircraft.
But yeah we have nothing to offer but talk
We certainly lack as many frigates as we should have however as Germany pointed out yesterday putting ten frigates in the straits of Hormuz is pointless. Naval warships can’t force a strait on their own.
We had the biggest navy in the world in 1915 and we tried it and got our ass handed to us in Turkey.
The US tried it in 1989 in the straits of Hormuz with mixed results and they were not a combatant.
If there is a military solution in the straits then it will be un manned drones hunting mines and helicopters hunting drones and they will all be land based in UAE and Oman. HMG is not as daft as people think, all this was envisaged years ago which is exactly why we have wildcat with LMM and the new Mine Hunting Capability (MHC) system.
Frigates and minesweepers would play no role no matter how many we had. That’s in part why they were withdrawn by both the USA and UK before the war.
Better to look at jamming the electronics. Without guidance the drones are useless.
Drones are like the longbow; cheap to make but costly to counter. We need a cheap counter. Lasers might help. Counter-missiles tend to be too expensive and too few.