The United Kingdom is considering deploying two types of drones to the Middle East after the United States requested allied support to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has closed. The move follows attacks on oil tankers and rising oil prices, prompting discussions with international partners about how to protect shipping in the region.

One option under review is the use of autonomous mine-hunting drones. These systems can scan the seabed using sonar to detect and neutralise underwater mines, operating remotely to keep sailors out of harm’s way. The Royal Navy already has several such systems in operation or development, though some have not yet been tested in combat.

The government is also exploring the potential deployment of interceptor drones, originally developed with British support to help Ukraine defend against Iranian-designed drones used by Russia. These fast, relatively low-cost drones destroy incoming aerial threats by colliding with them or detonating nearby. However, diverting them to the Middle East could reduce supplies available to Ukraine, making this option more complex and currently at an earlier stage of consideration.