UK and France to hold crunch defence talks as HMS Dragon deployed to Strait of Hormuz

Britain and France will convene an inaugural gathering of defence ministers from more than 40 countries tomorrow, marking a significant step forward in efforts to reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz after HMS Dragon was sent to the key shipping route.

Defence Secretary John Healey will chair the meeting alongside his French counterpart, Catherine Vautrin, as international partners prepare to outline their military contributions to the multinational operation.

The waterway currently remains effectively shut to commercial traffic, causing major disruption to approximately one-fifth of global oil supplies.

Rising energy costs, fractured supply chains and increased expenses for households and businesses across the UK and worldwide have resulted from the ongoing closure of this critical shipping route.

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HMS Dragon will deploy to the Middle East to ensure Britain can participate in the multinational effort once circumstances allow.

The Type 45 destroyer carries the Sea Viper air defence system, enabling it to make a substantial contribution to protecting commercial vessels and supporting mine-clearance operations after hostilities conclude.

Ahead of the deployment, the warship completed weapons and sensor trials at a Nato facility near Crete, where crew members undertook live-fire exercises in high-threat scenarios.

The preparation is to ensure the vessel and its crew are fully equipped for operations in the region, with the ship's presence intended to bolster confidence among commercial shipping operators.

Mr Healey stated: "The UK is leading this multinational, defensive mission because trade, energy, and economic security for working people here at home depend on it."

He added: "We are turning diplomatic agreement into practical military plans to restore confidence for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

"When I co-chair this meeting of nations from around the world, our job will be to make sure we are not just talking, we are ready to act."

"That is why I have directed HMS Dragon to the Middle East, so Britain is in position to support this mission the moment it is needed.

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"This Government will not stand by when instability drives up costs for British families and businesses."

He concluded: "We will give people hope for the future by securing Britain and our national interests."

Tomorrow's discussions build upon an international summit previously convened by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Emmanuel Macron.

It has been done alongside extensive military planning sessions to create a coordinated multinational strategy.

Military planners from 44 nations across every continent have made considerable headway in recent weeks, with Britain playing a central coordinating role throughout.

A gathering of military planners took place at the UK's Permanent Joint Headquarters on April, 22-23 where the time was used to align different national approaches into a unified operational framework.

It has been reiterated that the mission remains strictly defensive in character, with its primary objective being the restoration of confidence for commercial shipping along the Strait once conditions permit.

As well as HMS Dragon, the support ship RFA Lyme Bay is being converted to act as a mothership for mine-hunting drones, which could be used to help clear the waterway.

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