HMS Lancaster Wildcats swapped in Middle East

In addition to its anti-surface warfare role, which sees it armed with the short-range MBDA Martel to engage low-flying ground threats and the MBDA Sea Venom anti-ship missile, the Wildcat is used for force protection and counter-piracy ops. The HMS Lancaster Type 23 frigate is currently in the Middle East as part of Operation Kipion.   

In mid-March, the HMS Lancaster struck drug traffickers in the region when it seized a haul with a market value of £5.4 million in the northern Arabian Sea.

In the Navy’s first bust of 2025, sailors and Royal Marines from the Portsmouth-based warship subsequently destroyed 340kgs of heroin and 83kgs of methamphetamine, following a concerted effort that saw drones play a key role for the first time.

It was thanks to the sharp eyes of operators on one of the new Peregrine remote-controlled mini-helicopters that suspicious activity was spotted on boats side-by-side in the dead of night.

That prompted the frigate to launch a Wildcat helicopter for closer inspection. When its crew arrived on the scene they could clearly see packages being transferred from a small fast boat on to a dhow, the traditional fishing/cargo vessels commonplace in the region. The actions were the clear sign of a drug smuggling operation.

Under Operation Kipion the UK has maintained a permanent maritime presence in the Persian Gulf since 1980.

Initially known as the Armilla Patrol, in June 2011 the deployment evolved into Operation Kipion which represents the Royal Navy’s current maritime security presence in the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean.

Operation Kipion is a combination of Royal Navy operations in the Middle East patrolling the Strait of Hormuz, and Suez Canal and conducting counter-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean.