Across the Middle East, Britain’s role in conflict has often been indirect yet consequential. From the late imperial period to contemporary defence partnerships, the United Kingdom has supplied weapons, technology, finance and military personnel to regional allies engaged in wars and security operations. These relationships, justified in terms of strategic stability and alliance commitments, have at times intersected with credible allegations of human-rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law. This series examines Britain’s involvement country by country, tracing military deployments, arms transfers, technical support and financial ties to assess where and how British policy has shaped conflicts across the region, and what responsibilities may follow.
The military relationship between the United Kingdom and Oman is one of Britain’s longest-standing defence partnerships in the Gulf, centred on basing access, joint training and operational cooperation. In February 2019, the two countries signed a new Joint Defence Agreement (JDA), updating earlier arrangements to deepen defence cooperation, support regional stability and formalise long-term access for UK forces to Omani facilities. A further annex agreement was signed in 2023, refining aspects of implementation and access.
A central pillar of the relationship is the UK Joint Logistics Support Base (UKJLSB) at Duqm. Access to Duqm Port was agreed in 2017, allowing the UK to establish a permanent logistics hub on Oman’s central coast, outside the Strait of Hormuz. The facility was designed to support Royal Navy deployments east of Suez, as well as wider British operations across the Gulf and the Indian Ocean. It provides berthing, maintenance and resupply for naval vessels, including large ships such as aircraft carriers, and also supports British Army training and joint activity with Omani forces.
The base was formally opened in October 2018, shortly before the start of Exercise Saif Sareea 3, underlining its role in enabling large-scale deployments. The UK subsequently announced additional funding in 2020 to expand the base. It is not a conventional sovereign base, but a jointly developed logistics hub operated in cooperation with Oman.
Large-scale joint exercises are a defining feature of the bilateral relationship. Exercise Saif Sareea 3, conducted between October and November 2018, was among the largest British military deployments to the region in decades. It involved around 5,500 UK personnel and roughly 60,000 Omani troops. British forces deployed Typhoon aircraft, E-3D Sentry airborne early warning aircraft and transport platforms including C-17 Globemaster and Voyager aircraft. Rotary assets such as Chinook and Puma helicopters supported troop movement, casualty evacuation and battlefield logistics.
On land, British Army units deployed armoured and mechanised forces, including Challenger 2 tanks, training alongside Omani counterparts in desert manoeuvre warfare. Royal Marines from 3 Commando Brigade conducted amphibious and littoral operations. At sea, a Royal Navy task group, including HMS Albion and HMS Dragon, carried out maritime interoperability training. The exercise integrated air, land and maritime components, culminating in a large-scale combined arms demonstration.
The Saif Sareea series has been conducted periodically since the first exercise in 1986. The second iteration took place in 2001, not 2021, and was similarly focused on large-scale expeditionary warfare. Together, these exercises form a core mechanism for maintaining interoperability and testing the ability of both forces to deploy and operate jointly in austere environments.
Complementing Duqm, the Omani-British Joint Training Area (OBJTA), formally established in 2019 near Duqm, provides a permanent venue for combined training. It enables large-scale exercises in desert conditions, including armoured manoeuvres, live-fire training, infantry operations and integrated air support. The facility also supports logistics, command and medical exercises, allowing for fully integrated combined arms training. Alongside the logistics base, it forms part of a broader UK effort to maintain a persistent and scalable military presence in the region.
Although Oman has largely avoided direct involvement in major regional conflicts in recent years and has often positioned itself as a mediator, this does not remove concerns about its domestic record. Oman is an absolute monarchy, and political participation is tightly constrained. Laws governing expression remain restrictive, and criticism of the Sultan or state institutions can lead to arrest, prosecution or administrative penalties. Journalists, activists and online commentators have at times faced detention or travel restrictions.
Labour rights are another area of concern. Migrant workers, who make up a substantial share of the workforce, continue to face structural vulnerabilities linked to the sponsorship system. Reports by international organisations point to issues including wage delays or non-payment, restrictions on changing employers, and limited access to effective legal remedy. Living conditions for lower-income workers can be poor, particularly in sectors such as construction, where overcrowded accommodation and inadequate services have been documented.
The UK–Oman defence partnership therefore combines deep and longstanding military cooperation with a set of political and human rights considerations that, while less internationally prominent than in some neighbouring states, remain a consistent source of criticism.
Did you find this story interesting? Please support AOAV's work and donate.
Donate