THE number of Royal Navy warships and submarines available for operations has fallen to a historic low.
Just three of six Type 45 destroyers and only six of eight Type 23 frigates, are operational, says the MoD.
The number of Royal Navy warships and submarines available for operations has fallen to a historic lowCredit: Alamy
Only one of five Astute class nuclear subs is in use.
The total number of destroyers and frigates is 14, the lowest since Queen Victoria’s reign.
The MoD said: “We are delivering a sustained increase in defence spending.”
The Royal Navy is composed of 63 ships but only 50 percent are available for operations, according to the MoD.
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Lord West, a Falklands War veteran and a former head of the Navy, raised the issue of ships ready for combat with the MoD in a parliamentary question.
Last night he told The Sun on Sunday that the number of operational ships was “a disgrace”.
The ships are also responsible for helping to secure all of Britain’s 14 overseas territories such as those in the Caribbean, the Falkland Islands and the Indian Ocean.
Lord West added: “The Ministry of Defence claims that three destroyers are operational but I suspect that only one of those ships is out there doing the business.
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“The number of operational ships is a disgrace. We are so weak at the moment. No wonder President Trump laughs at us all in Europe. We used to have a bloody powerful Navy and that gave clout and fighting power.
“Now the Royal Navy is a bit of a joke – we haven’t even got a full admiral in the Navy and that’s extraordinary.
“We now have insufficient ships and submarines operating in our economic waters to secure our security.
“The government is not grasping this problem. The defence secretary must be pulling his hair out because he can’t get the money from the Treasury to properly defend Britain.”
An MoD spokesperson said: “We are delivering the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, with an extra £5b for defence this financial year alone.
“As part of that, we are delivering 13 cutting-edge, modern warships for our world class Royal Navy, and through the groundbreaking Atlantic Bastion programme, we are leading the transformation to a new hybrid navy, exploiting the power and potential of new technologies alongside the traditional capabilities of our ships.
“All Royal Navy vessels rotate through planned operating cycles, including routine maintenance, and we continue to operate in accordance with Defence requirements and priorities.”
