The Armilla patrol is the Royal Navy's permanent presence in the Persian Gulf. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the senior service of the British armed services, being the oldest of its three branches. ... Map of the Persian Gulf. ...

The Royal Navy had withdrawn its forces from the Persian Gulf in 1971 in line with the UK's general retreat from imperial commitments. However, tensions in the area remained high and Royal Navy ships were still a frequent sight in the area. In 1980 war broke out between Iraq and Iran. In response to the increased danger to British shipping and other British interests, a Royal Navy escort vessel was sent to the Gulf and at least one has remained there ever since. In addition to the surface combatant, the RN has also maintained an auxiliary of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in the Gulf. 1971 (MCMLXXI) is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar). ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) is the service that keeps the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom running around the world. ...

Typical Armilla patrol deployments last for six months or so, with the supporting RFA vessel sometimes spending an aggregate total of over a year in the area. The patrol is reinforced, with an aircraft carrier or task group in times of high tension or British involvement in wartime operations or by frigates or destroyers transiting the area for other operations in the Far East or Pacific. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) is the service that keeps the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom running around the world. ... Sailing frigates were 4th, 5th, or 6th-rated ships in the rating system of the Royal Navy. ... USS Lassen, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet or battle group and defend them against smaller, short-range attackers (originally torpedo boats, later submarines and aircraft). ... Far East is an inexact term often used for East Asia and Southeast Asia combined, sometimes including also the easternmost territories of Russia, i. ... For other meanings of Pacific, see Pacific (disambiguation). ...

Beginning in 2006 the surface combatant deployed has been tasked with patrol in the Persian Gulf and as part of Operation Oracle, the UK's assistance to the United States in its operations against terrorism in the Arabian Sea, along with flexibility in tasking in the Far East and Pacific. 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Map of the Persian Gulf. ... Map of the Arabian Sea. ... Far East is an inexact term often used for East Asia and Southeast Asia combined, sometimes including also the easternmost territories of Russia, i. ... For other meanings of Pacific, see Pacific (disambiguation). ...

The largest British presence in the Gulf during the Armilla patrol has been during the two operations against Iraq. In 1991, eight Royal Navy ships supported by a number of RFA vessels were sent to the area. In 2003 over 30 British warships and auxiliaries were involved in the invasion of Iraq. A number of vessels, including minesweepers, survey vessels and submarines, are periodically rotated through the area to provide additional capability. 1991 (MCMXCI) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Given that international tension in the area shows no signs of decreasing, the Armilla patrol will likely remain a feature of British naval life for many years to come.