Iran threat: UK face tough ‘balancing act’ to protect vessels as Tehran tensions spike
THE UK cannot afford to leave British-flagged vessels in the Persian Gulf at risk in the wake of the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh - and must offer the Royal Navy the tools with which to do so, a defence expert has said.
Iran forces seize British tanker Stena Impero in Strait of Hormuz
However, Bill Harris stressed Boris Johnson would need to strike a balance between spending on traditional military equipment, and adapting to emerging threats - for example, cyber-warfare. Mr Fakhrizadeh, regarded in the West as the man who was masterminding Iran's push to develop nuclear weapons, was killed in Tehran two weeks ago, with the Islamic Republic blaming Israel for the attack.
Globally there will always be a need to protect the global economic interests in the Persian Gulf
Mr Harris, chief operating officer with defence consultants Radiant Blue, told Express.co.uk the seizure last year of the UK-flagged oil tanker the Stena Impero has eloquently illustrated the risks faced by vessels in the waterway.
He said: "Globally there will always be a need to protect the global economic interests in the Persian Gulf to ensure a steady flow of oil and other natural resources to the free world.
"This has always been a global mission and will continue to be a global mission for the foreseeable future.
"Most global superpowers position a portion of the Navy assets in the Persian Gulf to ensure the safe passage of their domestic flagged vessels as well as those of their global trading partners as this has mostly been a collaborative effort."
The UK last month confirmed it was increasing defence spending by 10 percent over the course of the next four years, amounting an additional investment of £16.5 billion.
Mr Harris added: "Regarding the UK prioritising cyber threats over navy shipbuilding, this will always be a balancing act and a trade-off in regards to the overall defence posture of the UK.
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"Shipbuilding and the projection of power with a strong Navy in the UK will always be a top priority.
"As tensions continue to increase in the Persian Gulf area and with China continuing to invest in their overall military modernisation efforts, the UK, along with its allies and economic trading partners, will continue to invest in their military and national defence.
"Additionally, as technology continues to advance at a tremendous pace, cyber threats can no longer be seen as inconsequential or not as important as other hard military assets such as the Navy, Air Force, and Army.
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"Investment in both offensive and defence cyber should continue as these types of cyber threats can originate from any rogue group, or nation-state, at any time.
"Hardening of our global infrastructure is required to counter these potential threats that continue to occur daily."
Speaking to Express.co.uk in September, former First Sea Lord, Baron West of Spithead said the Royal Navy was currently spread too thin to do its job.
He added: "We are now leaving Europe, we want to be have global reach, we have got to trade globally and there is no doubt that for Britain to be wealthy and trading globally, you need a stable world.
"And to have a stable world, you need military assets there, and the best military assets to stop wars actually are maritime powers vessels in these regions.
"We have done that over decades and centuries.
"The reality is, we need hard killing power, whether it is frigates, or carriers, of the aircraft off the carriers, you have got to have that hard killing power.
"And the navy, more than anyone else, can't get there without a ship."
Referring to the seizure of the tanker, he added: "The business of that ship that got captured in the Gulf, for example, the Stena Impero.
"I was banging the drum for weeks before that saying we need more than one frigate destroyer out there.
"They couldn't get more than one because we've got so few.
"Lo and behold, a British ship gets captured - I don't like saying I told you so but I bloody well did tell them so. We are spread too thin."