Kevin Rowlands reacts to the prospect of escorting convoys of tankers through the Strait of Hormuz

When people say ‘convoy’ they normally have a specific image in mind. Ships grouped together, escort forces concentrated, the attacker’s job more difficult. But modern convoying is less about neat lines of tankers with warships ahead and astern, and more about layered protection. Historical examples from two world wars, the 1980s Tanker War, and Somali piracy still matter, because they remind us that economic warfare is a thing – but we can learn more from Houthi attacks in the southern Red Sea from 2023 onwards, and the responses to them.”

“Today, protecting maritime trade means having shared situational awareness and distributed presence rather than large visible formations which might serve only as big targets. Intelligence fusion centres, persistent satellite and airborne surveillance feeding a common picture of what is moving in and around Gulf will help. Understanding the residual threat from Iran and its proxies is a must. Uncrewed surface and aerial systems can extend the picture. On‑board protection teams might provide point defence. That’s all before we see a warship.”

“In terms of who might actually do the protecting, the Gulf is crowded with potential contributors and more are on the way, but coordinated action will be needed. It may be most appropriate for regional states such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar to take the lead – all have capable forces and economies that depend on energy. Beyond national deployments, there is a clear role for the Combined Maritime Forces, the 34‑nation framework that already covers the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and the approaches to the Red Sea.”

“The modern convoy might be less visible, but it will be there as a network designed to detect, deter, and respond to threats before they can disrupt the flow of trade through the world’s most strategically significant chokepoint.”

Professor Kevin Rowlands is the editor of the RUSI Journal, a retired Royal Navy Captain and former Head of the Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre.