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Warships: Persian Gulf

Volume 490: debated on Monday 23 March 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy ships were deployed in the Persian Gulf on the latest date for which figures are available. (265143)

The Royal Navy has the following ships deployed to the Persian Gulf as at 18 March:

A permanent Frigate, currently HMS Richmond, is deployed to the North Arabian Gulf patrolling the oil platforms in the Iraqi territorial waters.

A Landing Ship Docking Amphibious, currently RFA Cardigan Bay, also operates around the Iraqi oil platforms providing a training platform for the Iraqi Navy and Marines.

There are four Mine Countermeasures Vessels permanently based at Bahrain, their crews rotating on a four to six monthly basis. The ships: HMS Atherstone, HMS Chiddingfold, HMS Grimsby and HMS Pembrooke.

A Forward Repair Ship, RFA Dilligence also operates in the Gulf and further out into the North Arabian sea providing engineering support, predominately to the Mine Counter Measures Vessels.

In addition two units, the Frigate HMS Portland and the Tanker RFA Wave Knight, permanently operate predominately in the North Arabian sea, Gulf of Oman and Gulf of Aden, but make routine visits within the Persian Gulf for maintenance, consolidation and crew rest and recuperation.