Written Question·Ministry of Defence·UIN 121237

Middle East: HMS Middleton

Tabled: 16 March 2026

Answered: 19 March 2026

Named Day

Question

Ben Obese-Jecty

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has he made of the requirement to replace the minehunting capability of HMS Middleton in the Arabian Gulf.

Answer

Luke Pollard

We inherited a plan from the previous government for a drawdown of crewed minehunting capabilities. The Royal Navy remains committed to sustaining mine countermeasures capability in the Arabian Gulf. The UK is transitioning to modern autonomous minehuntin...

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