The Royal Navy is preparing to equip one of its landing ships with advanced minesweeping drones, as ministers explore options to facilitate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. RFA Lyme Bay is slated for a refit that will integrate high-tech equipment, transforming it into a "mothership" capable of deploying both underwater drones and crewless minehunting boats.
This upgrade is understood to be central to the Navy's strategy for utilising autonomous minehunters to clear the critical Strait of Hormuz, should such an operation become necessary. The UK is currently collaborating with international allies to develop military plans for re-establishing access through the strait, a vital shipping artery for global oil and gas supplies that has been effectively blockaded by Tehran.
