Operation Kipion: Gulf and Bahrain maritime presence
Operation Kipion has been the Royal Navy's maritime security presence in the Gulf and Indian Ocean since 2011. According to a House of Commons Library briefing of August 2026, the crewed minehunters left Bahrain in early 2026 and the forward-deployed frigate HMS Lancaster was decommissioned at the end of 2025. HMS Middleton left Bahrain in January 2026. The briefing says the Royal Navy states it remains committed to sustaining a mine-hunting capability in the Gulf. The Royal Navy still has personnel in US Fifth Fleet task forces in Bahrain. The Parliament briefing summary says the UK does not currently have ships based there.
- Where
- Bahrain, Mina Salman, Bahrain (UK Naval Support Facility)
- When
- since 1 Jun 2011
- With
- United States
- Last checked
- 4 Nov 2026
Sources
- Research Briefing: UK military bases and facilities in the Middle East (3 August 2026) House of Commons Library, 3 Aug 2026
- British warships exit Gulf as Iran conflict looms for US The National, 26 Feb 2026
