UK unleashes Typhoon jets, mine hunters and drone boats in urgent Strait of Hormuz mission
The Ministry of Defence confirmed the UK's contribution to a multinational effort including over 40 nations.
The UK will deploy HMS Dragon and cutting-edge kit to the Strait of Hormuz in a bid to open the vital shipping lane "when conditions allow." Britain will deploy autonomous mine hunting equipment and cutting-edge counter drone systems, along with Typhoon jets and HMS Dragon as part of a “future defensive mission”, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has confirmed.
It comes after defence ministers from more than 40 countries joined a virtual summit to plan a response to the blockade imposed by Iran since the beginning of its war with the United States and Israel. The MOD also confirmed that British military mine-clearance specialists have been preparing in UK waters in anticipation of a deployment to the Middle East.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: “The UK is playing a leading role to secure the Strait of Hormuz, and we are demonstrating that today with new cutting-edge kit to protect our interests and secure the Strait.
“New funding for autonomous mine-hunting and counter-drone systems, our advanced Typhoon jets, and HMS Dragon are strong and clear commitments – commitments to strengthen the confidence of commercial shipping and reduce the burden of the conflict on people at home.
“With our allies, this multinational mission will be defensive, independent, and credible.”
HMS Dragon is already on her way to the Middle East, after setting sail for the Mediterranean following an Iranian backed drone attack on an RAF base on the island in March.
The MOD stressed that the multinational plan is “strictly defensive in nature” and is designed to restore confidence for commercial shipping along the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical trade routes through which a fifth of the world's oil passes.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly called on other nations to step up its efforts in protecting the vital shipping lane amid a dramatic rise in fuel prices and increasing scarcity of vital equipment.
In March, Mr Trump took to Truth Social to declare his anger at the lack of action by allies amid an almost total blockade by the Iranian government.
He wrote: "The Countries of the World that receive Oil through the Hormuz Strait must take care of that passage, and we will help — A LOT!
"The U.S. will also coordinate with those Countries so that everything goes quickly, smoothly, and well."
Mr Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, have been particularly scathing about the UK’s response to the conflict and subsequent closure of the strait, swinging from calling on the Royal Navy to do more to dismissing the need for their help.
The US leader wrote in March: "We had the UK say that 'we'll send' - this is three weeks ago - 'we'll send our aircraft carriers', which aren't the best aircraft carriers by the way. They're toys compared to what we have."
He later said: "You'll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won't be there to help you anymore, just like you weren't there for us."
The UK force package will include:
- Advanced autonomous mine hunting equipment, including capabilities to detect and defeat mines.
- The Royal Navy’s modular ‘Beehive’
system which can deliver high-speed, autonomous Kraken drone boats allowing the multinational force to sense, track, and identify potential threats and defeat them. - UK Typhoon jets, battle-proven in the region, ready to conduct air patrols over the Strait of Hormuz.
- Advanced British military mine-clearance specialists, who have been preparing in the UK to conduct mine-clearing operations.
- HMS Dragon deploying to the Middle East to be ready for any mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz. It’s counter drone systems include the cutting-edge Sea Viper system.
