Submarine Crisis: Only 2 out of 10 Submarines of the British Navy are Able to Go to Sea Immediately

The Royal Navy’s submarine component is currently facing one of the biggest challenges in supporting the nuclear submarine fleet, which has severely limited its operational capabilities – in fact, it relies on only two submarines.

The analysis is based on the decision of General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, who launched an urgent 100-day campaign to eliminate systemic delays in submarine maintenance.

Today, the Royal Navy has ten submarines: five Astute multi-purpose submarines and four Vanguard ballistic missile carriers. Theoretically, this allows the UK to perform most of its tasks, both in the area of nuclear deterrence and in patrolling the North and Atlantic Oceans.

However, in practice, only two of the ten submarines are currently operational – one of the Astute type (HMS Anson) and one Vanguard ballistic missile carrier ( the exact board is not disclosed).

Among the non-capable Astute submarines, HMS Ambush has been inactive for the longest time, having not been at sea for more than 1175 days, while the lead ship of the series , HMS Astute, has been idle for about 111 days, and the rest have an average of days at the dock.

The submarine fleet’s readiness problem is related to excessively long maintenance periods, as well as an outdated infrastructure that is not enough to support even the current number of boats. There is also a lack of technical personnel for timely repairs.

The situation with Vanguard boats is also disappointing. Although the exact information about their condition is not disclosed, the recent return of one of the boats after 204 days at sea was indicative: it is a record for the British fleet, which at the same time demonstrates an excessive workload, as the standard duration of patrolling is usually 3-6 months.

The situation with repairs is no better: the lead ship HMS Vanguard has been undergoing maintenance for more than 7 years at the Devonport base, a period that the British Parliament called unacceptable.

A similar fate awaits HMS Victorious, which in September 2023 began a large-scale modernization (Deep Maintenance Period) at the same shipyard. The work is estimated to last from 5 to 7 years.

It is worth noting that the Royal Navy is currently trying to remedy this situation.

First of all, work is underway to create additional facilities for servicing nuclear submarines – in particular, floating dry docks, which are being purchased from Faslane under the EUSTON program.

In addition, the Devonport Naval Base is undergoing a large-scale reconstruction of its submarine docking infrastructure as part of the SWIF (Submarine Workforce and Infrastructure Future) program.

The bureaucratic and organizational problems that have led to the Royal Navy’s inability to function at the level required by the national defense doctrine are also being addressed.

Militarnyi previously reported that the official cutting of steel for the nuclear submarine HMS King George VI, the fourth and last submarine with Dreadnought intercontinental ballistic missiles, took place at the BAE Systems shipyard.