The UK appears to be attempting to repair the damage caused by its perceived weak response to the Iran-Middle East crisis, holding a meeting with representatives of GCC and Middle East states where it affirmed its support for the region.
In an 18 March release, the UK Government confirmed that it would acquire additional Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) to supply British forces and countries in the region.
Manufactured by Thales in Belfast, the LMM had already proven “highly capable” for air defence in the Middle East, the UK Government said.
Saudi Arabia operates the LMM as part of its layered air defence network, while the UK, belatedly, sent LMM-equipped helicopters to the eastern Mediterranean in the weeks after the Iran-Middle East crisis broke out.
The UK-convened meeting saw representatives from 13 UK-based defence companies meeting Gulf ambassadors and defence attachés to “explore new industry support” for regional allies.
The discussion focused on potential new defensive equipment and technology that British-based companies could supply at rapid pace to allies to counter Iranian drone and missile attacks, the UK Government release said.
Meeting a sticking plaster for Middle East failures
The UK has been heavily criticised internationally for its response to the Iran-Middle East crisis, spending days determining how best to protect key UK bases in Cyprus.
Targetted by launch sites in Lebanon, likely fired by Iranian proxy Hezbollah, Cyprus was forced to call on the European Union for air defence assistance despite the UK operating an air base on the island.
US President Donald Trump, previously a fan of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, called the British premier “no Winston Churchill” following the initial refusal to allow US bombers to operate from the UK’s Indian Ocean base at Diego Garcia.
In addition, a rapid drawdown of UK forces East of Suez since 2024 means that there are no assets available to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, with oil prices soaring after Iran effectively closed the key waterway to commercial traffic.
The lack of any strategic depth in UK inventories, which are severely depleted after years of donations to Ukraine, means that it is unable to offer much to the Middle East beyond words and meetings in the short term.
This apparent inability to offer meaningful contributions to the defence of Middle East partners, indeed, the presence of UK bases potentially being a target for Iranian strikes, leaves London in a weak position if and when the Iran crisis abates, as regional countries look to reassess ties.
The UK operates military bases in Bahrain and Oman, the former now effectively abandoned following the drawdown of naval forces, and the latter a British Army training site near Duqm.
UK forces also operate from GCC air bases, including Al Minhad in the UAE and Al Udeid in Qatar.
