1980

Armilla Patrol

1980


Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman



Shortly after Iraq invaded Iran on 22 Sep 1980, a threat to international (and particularly, British) shipping was recognised and the UK government directed the Royal Navy to establish a standing patrol to protect commercial sea traffic in the area. On 7 Oct 1980, the Armilla Patrol, operating in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman was deployed.

By May 1984 Iran had escalated attacks on commercial shipping, which served to intensify political attention on the area and the UN became involved. After the USS Stark (part of the US 5th Fleet, escorting shipping in the area) was fired on in May 1987, the UN demanded a cease-fire through SCR598 but it was not until 20 Aug 1988 that both sides agreed.

During the 1991 and 2003 Gulf Wars, the Patrol was re-inforced and it is still operating. From the 1991 Gulf War, the area of operation was expanded to include the Red Sea. It has been renamed Operation Kipion since 2011.



  Units


Dates UnitModels



Not all models shown may have taken part in the Operation




helicopter   Individual helicopters


Model IDs
Westland Wasp XS567    
Westland Lynx HAS2 XZ229     XZ722    



  Ships


ClassesShips
Guided-Missile Destroyer   Type 42 (Batch 1 and 2) class Royal Navy D108 HMS Cardiff, Royal Navy D118 HMS Coventry, Royal Navy D86 HMS Birmingham, Royal Navy D87 HMS Newcastle, Royal Navy D89 HMS Exeter, Royal Navy D90 HMS Southampton, Royal Navy D91 HMS Nottingham,
Guided-Missile Destroyer   Type 42 (Batch 3) Royal Navy D95 HMS Manchester, Royal Navy D96 HMS Gloucester, Royal Navy D97 HMS Edinburgh, Royal Navy D98 HMS York,
Frigate   Type 12 Rothesay class Royal Navy F107 HMS Rothesay,
Frigate   Type 21 Amazon class Royal Navy F171 HMS Active, Royal Navy F172 HMS Ambuscade, Royal Navy F174 HMS Alacrity, Royal Navy F184 HMS Ardent,
Frigate   Type 22 (Batch 1) Broadsword class Royal Navy F88 HMS Broadsword, Royal Navy F89 HMS Battleaxe, Royal Navy F90 HMS Brilliant, Royal Navy F91 HMS Brazen,
Frigate   Type 22 (Batch 2) Boxer class Royal Navy F92 HMS Boxer, Royal Navy F93 HMS Beaver, Royal Navy F94 HMS Brave,
Frigate   Type 23 Duke class Royal Navy F235 HMS Monmouth, Royal Navy F80 HMS Grafton,
Frigate   Broad Beam Leander class Royal Navy F70 HMS Apollo, Royal Navy F72 HMS Ariadne,
Frigate   Seawolf Leander class Royal Navy F58 HMS Hermione, Royal Navy F60 HMS Jupiter, Royal Navy F71 HMS Scylla,
Support Ship   Abdiel class Royal Navy N21 HMS Abdiel,
Support Ship   Improved Tide class Royal Fleet Auxiliary A75 RFA Tidespring, Royal Fleet Auxiliary A76 RFA Tidepool,
Support Ship   OL class Royal Fleet Auxiliary A123 RFA Olna,
Support Ship   Rover class Royal Fleet Auxiliary A273 RFA Black Rover,
Support Ship   Fort I class (1978) Royal Fleet Auxiliary A385 RFA Fort Grange, Royal Fleet Auxiliary A386 RFA Fort Austin,





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