The UK intends to rely increasingly on autonomous and uncrewed systems, rather than conventional vessels such as minesweepers, to protect its interests in the Gulf, the Minister of State for Defence has indicated, the UK Defence Journal understands.
Answering an oral question in the House of Lords on 4 June 2026 about a permanent military presence in the Gulf, Lord Coaker was asked by the Conservative peer Lord Howell of Guildford whether the real need in the region was for a far more effective maritime tracking system, for both legal and illegal shipping and for surface and underwater vessels.
Lord Coaker called it a significant point and tied it to the direction the Royal Navy is taking. “The noble Lord will know that the First Sea Lord has talked about the hybrid Navy, the importance of artificial intelligence, and the importance of intelligence in guiding the systems of the future, including drone capability,” he said. Rather than necessarily relying on minesweepers, he said, the aim was to provide that kind of capability through autonomous systems.
He pointed to a specific vessel as a model for the approach. “An example would be RFA ‘Lyme Bay’, which is moving towards the region,” he said. “The autonomous systems that it has to operate above, on the sea and underwater to protect our interests is a template which we will follow.” That, he added, required intelligence and the co-operation of various nations.
The point was reinforced in an exchange with the Conservative peer Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton, a serving reservist, who noted that it might be realistic that there would be no more minehunters in the Gulf because the nature of underwater detection had shifted towards autonomous methods.
He pressed the minister on whether, as more frigates and destroyers came into service, it would once again be a priority to forward-deploy one to the region, recalling that the deployment of HMS Lancaster until her decommissioning at the end of last year had been crucial.
Lord Coaker said the priorities the government set in the region would be a matter for it to consider as it looked to the future. “What I will do is ensure that the point he makes, about the need for basing autonomous ships that support that sort of uncrewed capability, is considered in the discussions that take place,” he said.
Hmmm.
So are we going to be sending them to wait around like we are doing at the moment ?
Will a Bay go In to a hot war zone ?
Are we worried they might get captured ?
The elephant in the room is none of the assets are combat assets. They are for cleanup AFTER someone else has done the dirty work.
This rush to autonomous and all the publicity behind it feels to me that it’s a smoke screen to cut manned ships because it’s cheaper. It should be based on requirements, you still need a frigate in the Gulf to look after the autonomous mine sweepers (take Lyme bay for example, it feels to me that there was a plan to switch to autonomous but suddenly realised a Mothership was needed).
Autonomous should be additional to the manned ships in most cases.
Hmm The RFA Lyme Bay can only be anywhere where they are protected by ships with men women cats and dogs on , maybe the odd Parrot. In this case because the UK no longer has a functional Royal Navy our RFA ship is 100 percent relying on its safety from the French and USA who have ships available
“He pointed to a specific vessel as a model for the approach. “An example would be RFA ‘Lyme Bay’, which is moving towards the region,”
Wonderful. Are they trying to erase history that a Bay there is not new? And that a Bay has been stuck there for years as support for the 4 MCMV because we had NOTHING ELSE to use.
I’d almost piss myself laughing if the Iranians did another HMS Cornwall and just came up and dragged the autonomous boat away. Who will stop them, us?
It?
Starmer will. 😂😂😂😂😂