The Royal Navy has just two fully operational battleships with two-thirds of its fleet undergoing repair work, the MoD has admitted.
Of the six state of the art Type 45 destroyer ships, four are currently based in Portsmouth undergoing repair work, leaving Britain severely underprepared at a time of increased global insecurity.
One of the six, HMS Daring, has spent more time in the refit yard than at sea since it was commissioned 12 years ago.
Additionally, of the eight Type-23 Frigates, smaller ships a class below the destroyers, only six are operational, according to the MoD.
The figures leave the Royal Navy’s available fleet of destroyers at their lowest levels since the programme began over 100 years ago under the reign of Queen Victoria.
For context, in 1945, the year the Second World War came to an end, the Royal Navy had around 800 destroyers and frigates at its disposal.
The availability of just eight of the Navy’s 14 battleships being ready for deployment has left MPs warning that Britain could be left vulnerable from both the air and sea as tensions rise across the world.
Mike Martin, the MP for Tunbridge Wells and a member of the defence select committee, told The Telegraph: “These reports of only two operational destroyers are extremely concerning. Destroyers provide air defence and with only two destroyers, we simply cannot defend London, let alone the United Kingdom.
“This is something that the defence select committee will be looking into in its first inquiry, which is about the UK’s contribution to European defence. Clearly, if we can’t defend our own homeland, we are not able to contribute to Nato’s defence of Europe.”
Last month, Labour MP Luke Akehurst warned that for Britain to be able to defend itself from an attack on London such as the ballistic missile strike conducted by Russia on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, a Type-45 destroyer would need to be stationed permanently on the river Thames.
The reports of the depleted fleet come at a time when the MoD is conducting a comprehensive defence review to set out a strategy for how the UK will plan for and counter future threats.
Last month, the MoD announced it was scrapping old kit early in a bid to save £500 million. Among those set to be decommissioned were two amphibious assault ships, HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark and Type 23 frigate, HMS Northumberland.
Critics slammed the move, warning it leaves Britain’s fleet further depleted whilst supporters noted that none of those being decommissioned was operationally deployable and unlikely to go out to sea before their planned retirement.
An MoD spokesman said: “The UK stands fully prepared to defend itself against any threat alongside our Nato allies.
“The Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force are equipped with a range of advanced capabilities to provide a layered approach to air and missile defence – for example, Royal Navy Type 45 destroyers have successfully shot down a Houthi rebel ballistic missile and attack drones as part of efforts to protect shipping in the Red Sea.
“As the Defence Secretary John Healey recently announced, the UK will lead a new initiative with Nato allies to integrate and strengthen our collective air and missile defence.”
