UK to lead coalition reopening Strait of Hormuz with autonomous mine-hunters

The UK's Royal Navy is preparing to take the lead in a coalition operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, deploying advanced autonomous mine-hunting systems and warships to protect commercial shipping, according to a report Tuesday by The Times. The initiative comes as the strategic waterway remains effectively closed for a fourth week.

Phased operation planned

UK defense officials are considering plans to deploy a Royal Navy vessel or a leased commercial ship to serve as a "mothership" for autonomous, uncrewed systems designed to detect and neutralize naval mines. The operation would involve multiple phases, officials told The Times. The initial stage would focus on mine-hunting using advanced autonomous systems launched from the mothership. A second phase could see uncrewed surface vessels deployed alongside the Royal Navy's Type 45 destroyers—or the destroyers alone—to protect tankers transiting the area.

Multinational effort

The initiative would form part of a broader multinational effort involving allies including the US and France to ensure safe passage through the strait, one of the world's most critical transit routes. "We have world leading capabilities in terms of autonomous mine hunting, as well as fantastic destroyer capability with our Type 45s, and also the development of hybrid navy concept, which provides us with opportunities to avoid putting people into harm's way to help secure the strait," an official said.

Strategic context

UK defense officials believe naval mines have been laid in the strait, though a "clear path" remains as Indian, Pakistani and Chinese ships continue to transit. The waterway has been effectively throttled since early March following Iran's retaliatory strikes in the ongoing conflict. Normally 20 million barrels of oil pass through the strait daily; its disruption has driven up shipping costs and pushed global oil prices higher. The US-Israeli offensive against Iran, launched Feb. 28, has killed more than 1,340 people including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.