The UK is sending an RAF Voyager air-to-air refuelling aircraft to support Saudi Arabia following renewed Houthi attacks in the region, with the deployment agreed after a request from the Saudi Government, according to the Ministry of Defence.
The aircraft will support Saudi defensive activity connected with the internationally recognised government of Yemen. Voyager provides air-to-air refuelling for combat and support aircraft, allowing them to remain airborne for longer and operate over greater distances without returning to base. The deployment adds to an existing British military contribution to Saudi air defence, which the department said already includes air defence equipment and UK personnel helping to protect against missile and drone attacks.
The Government said the decision followed an increase in Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and a wider deterioration in the regional security situation. In its statement, it said: “We unequivocally condemn the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and are clear that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Yemen have the right to defend themselves.”
Ministers are also linking the deployment to British economic and security interests. The department said instability in the Gulf could affect energy supplies, prices and costs faced by UK businesses, arguing that protecting regional trade and energy routes remained in Britain’s interest. It described the Houthis as a threat to regional stability, a characterisation made by the Government in setting out the case for the additional support.
The Voyager deployment is defensive in the terms set out by the Government and is intended to reinforce Saudi Arabia’s ability to respond to attacks rather than represent a new British combat mission in Yemen. The aircraft’s role will be to provide aerial refuelling support, extending the endurance of aircraft involved in Saudi defensive operations.
The UK said Saudi Arabia and Yemen remained important regional partners and that the military support formed part of a wider effort to protect regional stability while continuing to encourage a diplomatic resolution to the conflict in Yemen.
Are the Saudi Typhoons equipped with APKWS?
Wow, such commitment.
We also supposedly have a Sky Sabre unit out there as well.
Well that’s it then – we will soon win the peace in the Middle East with a single refuelling plane.
🎉
Not our job to deal in the Middle East. This is minimal support for a “friendly” regime and more than anyone else is offering.
“Not our job to deal in the Middle East”
No arguments from me Jim you are spot on.
Chair of the Defence Committee, Tan Dhesi MP, said:
“The Gulf is of major strategic importance to the UK. British forces rely on access, basing and longstanding defence partnerships across the region, while events in the Gulf can have direct consequences for international security, freedom of navigation and the global economy.
“Recent conflict has placed UK forces and regional partners under direct pressure and has raised important questions about the readiness, resilience and sustainability of the UK’s regional defence posture.’ Sept. 2026
Offcourse you will be aware that parliamentary committees have zero standing in setting British government policy.
I believe 1956 was the point that America moved to remove us from the region and everyone from Saudi to the UAE was only too happy to do everything possible to get us out.
Why would we waste any time going back now, let China escort its own cargo ships up the Red Sea if it wants to sell goods to Europe or go the long way round and pay the higher price.
Frankly we would be much better off with no access to Chinese manufactured products. Beyond that better we invest at home in our own manufacturing and energy production instead of propping up Saudi or any other autocratic regimes.
’20 May 2026, the United Kingdom (UK) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) concluded negotiations on a landmark free trade agreement (FTA), representing the first deal between the GCC and a Group of Seven (G7) nation. The FTA is projected to generate significant economic gains, including a £3.7b annual boost to the UK economy (compared with 2040 projections) and a £1.9b increase in real wages.
Current UK-GCC trade, valued at £53b, is expected to grow by up to 19.8%, adding approximately £15.5b annually’
If we are going to do anything this is a sensible and focused move, fact is Europe gets virtually no oil passing through the Straight of Hormuz while it gets most of its Middle East oil via the east west pipeline that Saudi has said will be back in operation soon. Not rocket science to imagine future attacks which the ability to maintain its Typhoons in the air will do much to protect from drone attack. What better way to help and ensure our own supply than to supply a tanker. I suspect we will get something in exchange like preferential delivery perhaps,
Except it is our business when the oil and gas stops flowing and our lights go out.
No Douglas, it’s the world’s business.
Someone’s talking sense.
This shows the shear incompetence of the US, Israel and Saudi. They should have dealt with the Houthis before striking Iran. Now the USA is loosing a war to Iran and being faced with the very real prospect of being kicked out of the Middle East. A small ground incursion could have taken the Houthis out years ago.
No one wants to mess with the Houthis unless they have to, they have ballistic missiles, drones, strong air defenses, sea drones etc. while they might look like a bunch bare footed terrorists gang, they are far from it, a campaign against them will be long and costly, Saudi Arabia made a mess when it kicked out the UAE, they need to sort it out… and don’t be surprised if the new air sirens in Cyprus will be in use very soon
I disagree. Sorting Iran out was the logical choice as it would have immediately removed all support for the terrorist organisations it supported ,including Hamas and The Houthis making the subsequent attacks against them far easier. That was , of course , predicated on a tactically successfull plan & campaign against Iran- and its that execution that the inept POTUS and his sycophantic advisors failed to plan for sufficiently.
I thought the Saudis were building an oil pipeline to export through suez but it goes past the Houthi’s. Anyway the pipeline got bombed. Thanx trump. This is the decline of usa superpower right here.
Yeah, who knew a piple line could bombed
Apparently not the US Treasury Secretary 😂
I’m loving the ‘to assist defensive operations’, does the voyager crew ask the saudi fighter jet it’s mission before refueling just like Starmers ‘the US can only use UK bases for defensive bombing attacks’.
If does sound the minimum offer we could have made
Its what they requested.
Agree what are we assisting. Thinking though,that our tanker crew can see what the Saudi planes are carrying. If in anti drone mode should be able to tell.
Perim — a desolate volcanic island also known as Mayun — also sits roughly 20 miles off the Horn of Africa…that’s a little rock in the middle of that strait. It’s a volcanic rock. It doesn’t have any water. It’s uninhabitable,”
“There’s no vegetation to speak of. And the Houthis have just massed their troops on that rock. So what that is…a kill box.”
This is an example of why great powers really have to have a strong Navy. This is why Great Britain had a strong navy. This is why the United States has a strong navy, because there’s so many regional powers who want to try to bottle up shipping, whether it is in the Strait of Malacca, whether it is in the Strait of Hormuz, and here, in this case, in the Red Sea.”
But Britain can’t have a strong navy because all Britain’s government is interested in is permanent campaigning to get re-elected via (they devoutly hope): welfare, net zero, regional devolution.
The Houthis might hit back at British related cargo ships and Akrotiri air base, hopefully they took that into account
Old none elected Andy’s supplicant gesture to Trump to say he isn’t like Starmer and can we please talk as the UK is fucked without US support! While I agree with this decision it’s quite simply a political one.
They are always political, good bad or indifferent.. nobody does moral military decisions ( unless their an idiot) the only other sort of military decisions are existential ones and we are not there yet ( although I suspect we soon maybe).
As you say this one is probably more on the reasonable and sensible side of things. Not that I in anyway like the Saudi government, but while we need oil we need them and the alternatives are pretty dire all round.
Smart decision, practical measure to protect oil flow through the Red Sea and help to a friend whose financial assistance might yet come in handy for Tempest 😉
I’m sure this ‘support’ is appreciated by the Saudi’s. If things continue to escalate in that region, maybe a rethink will be required, missile defence maybe. With regard to ‘non of our business’, easy to say, but there is a much bigger picture in that ‘neck of the woods’.