UK Royal Navy Refits RFA Lyme Bay with Mine Countermeasures

The United Kingdom's Royal Navy is equipping the auxiliary landing ship RFA Lyme Bay with advanced mine countermeasure systems in Gibraltar, positioning the vessel to potentially serve as a mothership for uncrewed operations in the Strait of Hormuz. The refit, underway as of late March 2026, aims to enhance Britain's options for clearing mines in the vital waterway, which has faced disruptions since the outbreak of conflict with Iran earlier in the month.

RFA Lyme Bay, a Bay-class ship capable of transporting up to 500 troops and supporting humanitarian or evacuation missions, was reactivated in early March following routine maintenance completed in December 2025. The vessel deployed to the eastern Mediterranean, where it operated off Cyprus to prepare for possible noncombatant evacuation operations amid regional tensions. It is now returning to Gibraltar for the installation of containerized, modular systems drawn from the Royal Navy's Maritime Mine Countermeasures program. These include uncrewed surface vessels configured to tow electromagnetic coils that mimic a ship's signature to detonate seabed mines safely, along with uncrewed underwater vehicles, remotely operated...