The UK could deploy Ukrainian-British anti-aircraft drones to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz from possible Iranian attacks.
According to the Sunday Timesthe British Ministry of Defense assesses the feasibility of deploying drones Octopusdeveloped as part of an unprecedented partnership between Ukraine and the United Kingdom, to protect the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil passes, has been heavily monitored by Iran since the start of the war in Iran, which began on February 28 with Operation Epic Furylaunched by the United States in collaboration with Israel with the aim of killing the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Oil tankers attempting to pass through the region are actively attacked by Iran, a strategy aimed at putting pressure on the global economy. As a result, crude oil prices rose sharply, leading to higher fuel prices worldwide.
One of the options being studied by the British Ministry of Defense to protect the passage of oil tankers in the region is the use of autonomous mine-hunting drones, operated by the Mine and Threat Exploitation Group (MTXG) of the Royal Navy, already deployed in the area.
At the same time, the potential use of drones Octopus is envisaged to counter Iranian kamikaze drones of the type Shahed. Thousands of these drones are produced each month for use by Ukraine against Russian unmanned aerial vehicles.
A source cited by the Telegraph stressed that, even if drones Octopus were used to mitigate the effects of the war in the Middle East, the priority for supply of this equipment would remain Ukraine, which is still engaged in an active conflict with Russia.
Drones Octopus are manufactured under license by several companies, including TAF Industries, UNWAVE et SKYRIPER. They were officially presented for the first time to the President of Ukraine in October 2025. Their technical specifications as well as the cost of the system were not disclosed.
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