The UK’s specialist minehunting vessel, RFA Lyme Bay, has arrived in the Middle East to take part in a multinational operation aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz to merchant shipping.
The deployment comes in response to ongoing security concerns in the region. It follows recent hostilities which have left an estimated 450 commercial vessels trapped in the Gulf since late February.
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RFA Lyme Bay, which navigated through the Red Sea en route to the Gulf, is carrying over 270 personnel. These include the Royal Fleet Auxiliary crew, more than 100 Royal Navy mine warfare and explosive ordnance disposal experts, medics, Royal Marines, British Army soldiers, and French Navy sailors.
Recently, the ship underwent rapid modifications to serve as a mothership for a suite of autonomous and remotely operated mine detection and clearance systems.
The technology on board includes multiple classes of uncrewed boats, towed sensor platforms, 2D and 3D sonar systems, and Video Ray Defender-Viper submersibles designed to locate and neutralise underwater mines.
UK Mine Countermeasures Force commander Gemma Britton said: “A huge number of people from across Defence and industry have worked exceptionally hard over the past few weeks to bring together experts and cutting edge mine detection and clearance technology on to Lyme Bay.
“We’ve trained hard and are enormously keen to utilise our skills on live operations that have such significance, not just to families and friends at home, but around the globe. This will be a multinational effort; the Royal Navy is ready to deliver.”
The minehunting force is part of a wider coalition initiative to secure the gateway to the Gulf for international shipping following a peace agreement between the US and Iran.
The reopening of the Strait is seen as crucial to resuming normal maritime commerce.
RFA Lyme Bay travelled to the region alongside the German command and support ship FGS Mosel, the German minehunter FGS Fulda, and under the escort of HMS Dragon, a Portsmouth-based Type 45 destroyer.
HMS Dragon has been stationed east of Suez for the past month, ahead of this operation, conducting local security patrols and supporting allied naval forces.
