HMS Illustrious Sails through Strait of Hormuz

HMS Illustrious has been escorted through the Strait of Hormuz by frigate HMS Montrose as she continues on her Gulf deployment.

The helicopter and commando carrier is due to begin exercises in the Gulf of Oman as part of Cougar 13 – the annual workout of the Royal Navy’s rapid reaction force known as the Response Force Task Group.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s busiest and most strategically important shipping routes and, at its narrowest point, is only 21 miles wide.

Over 20% of the world’s petroleum and around 35% of the petroleum traded by sea passes through this waterway and Royal Navy ships regularly exercise the right of lawful passage, ensuring that the waterway remains open and free for all to use.

“This is the second time we’ve transited the Strait of Hormuz during this deployment; however this time there was a lot more activity,” said Lieutenant Commander Richard Hewitt, HMS Illustrious’s Navigation Officer.

“With such a large ship to manoeuvre in such a busy shipping area, we need to make sure we remain vigilant to vessels approaching too close to us.

“ We require everyone on the bridge to maintain a lookout to report all types of craft in the water.

“The whole transit took about eight hours and passed without incident.”

The Cougar 13 deployment includes operations in the Mediterranean, Red Sea, Gulf, and Horn of Africa.

It involves exercising with partner nations, and demonstrates the UK Armed Forces’ capacity to project an effective maritime component anywhere in the world.

It is commanded by Commodore Paddy McAlpine from the Fleet Flagship HMS Bulwark which is also in the Gulf for Cougar.

The RFTG sailed in August along with HMS Montrose and Westminster which have since taken on other regular tasking in the region.

The RFTG is the United Kingdom’s high readiness maritime force, comprising ships, submarines, aircraft and a landing force of Royal Marines, which stand at short notice to act in response to any contingency tasking if required.

The last time the RFTG was called into action was in Libya in 2011.

Press Release, October 25, 2013; Image: Royal Navy