British commanders reportedly fear the navy looks “toothless” in the face of a supposed Russian threat
Britain’s entire available fleet of nuclear-powered attack submarines is stuck in port awaiting maintenance and repairs, leaving the Royal Navy without a deployable hunter-killer boat, UK media have reported.
All five of the Royal Navy’s operational Astute-class attack submarines are currently unavailable, while a sixth boat, although commissioned into the fleet, is not yet ready for deployment, The Telegraph and Daily Mail said over the weekend, citing naval sources.
The Astute-class submarines are designed to track and deter enemy submarines, and escort the UK’s aircraft carriers and Vanguard-class vessels carrying Trident nuclear missiles. The boats are nuclear-powered and armed with Spearfish torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Former nuclear submarine captain Commander Ryan Ramsey told The Telegraph the situation is a “serious wake-up call,” arguing that Britain now looks “toothless” in the face of supposed Russian aggression. Moscow has repeatedly dismissed claims it poses a threat to Europe.
Lord West, a former First Sea Lord and Labour security minister, described the situation as “unacceptable” and “very worrying,” saying attack submarines are essential for protecting Britain’s nuclear deterrent and “terrifying the Russians.”
Issues with the navy’s submarine fleet were previously reported back in 2023, with The Mail stating at the time that all of Britain’s available nuclear attack submarines were confined to port, citing maintenance delays, shortages of naval engineers, and a lack of dry-dock capacity.
Last week, The Mail also reported that Britain’s £3.5 billion ($4.6 billion) flagship HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier had broken down once again and was forced into port in Norway for repairs.
The reports come as British officials have continued to cite a supposed threat from Russia, claiming it is “probing, challenging, testing our defenses.” The UK’s chief of the defense staff, Sir Richard Knighton, stated to the BBC last week that Britain faces its most dangerous period since the Cold War.
Russia, however, has consistently dismissed claims that it is preparing to attack NATO or European countries unless attacked first. President Vladimir Putin has rejected such warnings as “delusions” and “provocations” being used to scare European populations and justify increased military budgets, while Russian officials have accused the West of jeopardizing global security through “reckless militarization.”
Nevertheless, European officials have openly discussed preparing for a possible direct confrontation with Russia, with Belgian and French officials warning of a possible “major war” by 2030.
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