No money, no maintenance, no crew: Why the UK has no ships in the Gulf

Simon Newton

5th March 2026 at 5:18pm

A shrinking, ageing Navy, and a lack of spending have all contributed to a lack of readiness, former Commodore Steve Prest said

Shortly after the US began it strikes on Iran, Tehran retaliated. On Sunday 1 March, a Shahed-type drone struck a hangar at RAF Akrotiri, causing limited damage but raising an important question. 

Why, for the time since 1980, are there no Royal Navy warships in the Gulf to protect British interests abroad, or in the Mediterranean to help defend its own bases? 

The type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon is expected to deploy to Cyprus soon, but not until next week, with the crossing likely to take between five and seven days.

• How a single drone defeating RAF Akrotiri's air defences thrust Cyprus into the spotlight
• Defence officials scramble to kit out HMS Dragon ahead of deployment to protect Cyprus
• Drone which crashed at RAF Akrotiri hit hangar, not runway, Downing Street confirms

A shrinking, ageing Navy, and a lack of spending have all contributed to a lack of readiness. 

Should the UK have been better prepared for what is unfolding? In our video above, BFBS Forces News speaks to former Royal Navy Commodore Steve Prest to find out more.