Overview
- Naval sources confirmed late Saturday that all five operational Astute-class hunter-killer submarines were in port for maintenance or technical work and not deployed at sea.
- Chief of the Defence Staff Sir Richard Knighton has warned that threats to the UK are the highest he has seen since the Cold War, raising concern about gaps in undersea protection while the boats are unavailable.
- Former senior officers and analysts say the shortfall stems from decades of weak investment in dry docks, maintenance infrastructure, specialist personnel and spare parts that limit how many subs can be serviced at once.
- The Ministry of Defence declined to detail specific submarine availability but said British waters remain protected by a mix of warships, patrol aircraft and submarines and that sustaining submarine capability is a top priority.
- MPs on the Public Accounts Committee and opposition politicians are pressing for publication and funding clarity in the long-delayed Defence Investment Plan because the maintenance bottleneck could affect protection of Vanguard deterrent patrols and undersea infrastructure.