UK Left with Zero Deployable Attack Subs as Entire Fleet Grounded

(MENAFN) Britain's Royal Navy has been left without a single deployable nuclear-powered attack submarine after all five of its operational Astute-class vessels were simultaneously confined to port for maintenance and repairs, according to reports from media.

A sixth Astute-class boat, though formally commissioned, remains unfit for active service — compounding what defense insiders are calling an unprecedented capability gap for one of NATO's leading naval powers.

The Astute-class submarines serve as the backbone of British undersea warfare, tasked with tracking hostile submarines, escorting aircraft carriers, and providing a protective screen for Vanguard-class vessels armed with Trident nuclear missiles. Each boat carries Spearfish torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Former nuclear submarine captain Commander Ryan Ramsey told a news outlet the situation is a "serious wake-up call," arguing that Britain now looks "toothless" in the face of supposed Russian aggression.

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."

The crisis is not without precedent. Media reported an near-identical breakdown in 2023, attributing the grounding of the fleet at the time to maintenance backlogs, a shortage of qualified naval engineers, and insufficient dry-dock infrastructure — structural problems that appear unresolved three years on.

The submarine crisis emerges alongside fresh troubles for the surface fleet. The Mail reported last week that HMS Prince of Wales — Britain's £3.5 billion ($4.6 billion) flagship aircraft carrier — suffered yet another mechanical failure and was diverted to Norway for emergency repairs.

The disclosures arrive as senior British officials continue to sound the alarm over Russian activity. UK Chief of the Defence Staff Sir Richard Knighton told media last week that Britain faces its most dangerous period since the Cold War, with Russia "probing, challenging, testing our defenses."

Moscow has firmly rejected such characterizations. President Vladimir Putin has dismissed warnings of Russian aggression as "delusions" and "provocations" engineered to frighten European citizens and justify surging defense expenditures. Russian officials have further accused Western governments of undermining global stability through what they describe as reckless militarization.

Despite Moscow's denials, European leaders have grown increasingly candid about the prospect of direct conflict. Officials from Belgium and France have publicly warned of a potential "major war" on the continent by 2030.

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