The Royal Navy's entire fleet of five Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarines is currently docked and out of service, according to reports from the UK Defence Journal and the Daily Mail.
Severe maintenance backlogs and limited shipyard capacity have left none of the hunter-killer vessels deployed at sea.
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This operational paralysis exposes critical infrastructure, such as undersea internet cables and power connections, to potential Russian sabotage.
In 2025, the five submarines managed only 300 combined days at sea, with HMS Anson being the sole fully operational boat earlier this year.
HMS Anson recently returned to port after a deployment to Australia under the AUKUS agreement, effectively removing the most active vessel from domestic screening duties.
These submarines carry Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles and Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes, performing vital intelligence operations and shielding the Vanguard-class ballistic-missile submarines that carry the UK's nuclear deterrent.
The defense crisis extends beyond the submarine fleet.
A 3.5-billion-pound flagship aircraft carrier recently suffered another breakdown and required repairs in a Norwegian port.
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The First Sea Lord, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, warned in December about escalating maritime challenges and narrowing operational margins for allied nations in the Atlantic.
He described the long-standing advantage allied navies once held beneath the Atlantic as "at risk."
Maintenance Recovery Plan
To address docking bottlenecks at Devonport, the Ministry of Defence launched the Submarine Maintenance Recovery Plan on January 14.
The plan aims to streamline maintenance initiatives. General Sir Gwyn Jenkins stated that "submarine maintenance throughput needs to drastically improve."
Defense officials are progressing with design work on Programme Euston to procure floating dry docks while maintaining a temporary six-month support agreement with Babcock.
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The entire British Astute-class attack submarine fleet remains docked, leaving the United Kingdom vulnerable to maritime threats from Russia.
