All five active Astute-class nuclear submarines of the Royal Navy are in port awaiting repairs or maintenance, The Telegraph reports, citing naval sources.
A sixth submarine of this class has already been commissioned, but is not yet ready for deployment.
According to the publication, this means that Britain currently has no sea-going nuclear submarines. Former submarine captain Ryan Ramsay called it “a serious alarm bell“.
“We look toothless. The Russians know we cannot put submarines to sea. "You lose respect with the Russians if you can't maintain deterrence at sea," he told The Telegraph.
Former Chief of the Royal Navy (2000-2002) and former Secretary of State for Security (2007-2010) Lord Alan West called the submarine situation "unacceptable" and "very worrying."
The UK Ministry of Defence told the newspaper that it did not normally comment on the state of the submarine fleet, but stressed that British waters were "always protected by a comprehensive range of capabilities." The ministry added that strengthening submarine capabilities remained a "key priority."
The Astute-class submarines are used to protect the British Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines and the aircraft carriers Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales during their deployment.