A task group based on surface ships is expected on the mission, including HMS Dragon, the Type 45 air defence destroyer (Picture: MOD)

Navy

Former Royal Navy Taskforce Commander explains process to secure the Strait of Hormuz

18th June 2026 at 4:42pm

Planning for the proposed multinational mission in the Strait of Hormuz is likely to be complete, according to retired Rear Admiral James Parkin, who commanded a Royal Navy taskforce on escort duties in the region in 2019.

He said months of behind-the-scenes work would have been carried out by military and political leaders, primarily under UK and French leadership, to coordinate contributions from participating nations and define operational responsibilities.

This involves a "detailed knitting together of all the different forces that have been declared and what roles each nation is prepared to take", said RAdm Parkin.

The final details are set to be announced shortly once conditions are met to start the operation.

How Western navies would tackle a mine threat in the Strait of Hormuz

Demining the strait

RAdm Parkin cautioned against an overemphasis on mines, saying the real task is rebuilding confidence among the insurance and shipping industries, whose concerns have effectively restricted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

"I think it's important not to get utterly fixated on mines – there is still no public evidence that any mines have been laid," he said.

"If I was a betting man, I would say there was a handful in order to provide that deterrent capability.

"The strait itself is not physically closed, there's no big barrier – the closure is practical by the insurance companies of the merchant vessels and shipping lines; you don't want to risk their employees, their cargoes, their vessels, going through.

"So from my perspective, there is a mine clearance capability that is needed but there's also a surface vessel escort and protection capability."

For the mine clearance capability, there will be RFA Lyme Bay with French and Italian minehunters already in the area around Djibouti at the moment.

Then there is also the Nato task forces that concentrate purely on mine countermeasures, involving German, Dutch and Belgian vessels that are already in the Eastern Mediterranean.

RAdm Parkin called that "a pretty impressive multinational force" that will be tasked to find mines or, if none are found, say with a large degree of confidence there are no mines in a particular area – which is what the merchant shipping community is after.

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Surface ship task group

A separate task group based on surface ships was to be expected, RAdm Parkin said, initially centered around the French Charles de Gaulle carrier strike group.

HMS Dragon is part of that task group, with Italian and Dutch frigates, who are already in the region or the Eastern Med, likely committed to that too.

RAdm Parkin called it "a fairly meaty multinational force... [with a] primarily European focus".

He said where the UK has its unique powers is in command and control, as "we still are the gold standard for maritime C2".

"So together with France, I think we can see the primary British contribution, outside of Dragon and our minehunting force, which are still very impressive capabilities, is actually knitting together these 40 nations.

"Some of which will be a flag on a table and political support, but other which will be really meaty, heavy metal contributions into the force.

"So thinking of the risks on the face of it, if you have a peace process that's holding and advancing, it seems OK, but that process breaks down, all bets are off very quickly."