See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy MARK NICOL, DEFENCE EDITOR Published: 23:06 BST, 6 June 2026 | Updated: 23:12 BST, 6 June 2026
Rarely have we been in such a state of high alert. In the first five months of this year, the Russian Bear has made countless incursions into the sensitive waters and airspace near the British Isles.Moscow's Northern Fleet, based near the port of Murmansk, is sending ships and submarines in unprecedented numbers to threaten and test our defences, key infrastructure and resolve – particularly in the 'High North' around the Arctic.It is an open challenge to this country and to Nato.So there could hardly be a worse time to find that Britain has no attack submarines available for action.All five of our Astute-class vessels are in port undergoing repairs. Some have been in maintenance for years. This situation is profoundly alarming.Britain relies on a network of key sub-sea cables and pipelines for the energy and electronic communications that keep a modern state running day-to-day, and it is these that are now being menaced by the Russian fleet.Moscow's surface vessels and submarines can deploy specialised mini-submarines whose purpose is not only espionage, but sabotage. In recent months, Defence Secretary John Healey has taken the unprecedented step of going public to expose these Kremlin sorties. Moscow's Northern Fleet is sending ships and submarines in unprecedented numbers to threaten and test Britain's defences, key infrastructure and resolve If Vanguards are compromised, writes Mark Nicol, then Britain's most vital defences are also compromisedVladimir Putin has made no secret of the fact that he regards the West in general, and Britain in particular, as being to blame for helping Ukraine successfully resist his bloody invasion of four years ago.His fury has shown itself in the harassment of RAF aircraft over the Black Sea, for example, and through repeated incursions into sensitive airspace and waters.Alongside brazen displays of aggression, such as the drone strike on Romanian territory last month, Putin is stepping up a campaign of shadow warfare against both this country and our European allies.The absence of attack submarines is also a danger for our nuclear deterrent as these 'hunter killers' play a vital role in defending our Vanguard-class submarines – the ones armed with Trident nuclear weapons. Our Vanguards patrol non-stop to keep Britain safe. And if they are compromised, our most vital defences are compromised.No doubt we will be calling upon the Americans to help provide cover – yet again. Meanwhile, the US has grown angry over our persistent failings.The fact is that we have not built enough submarines and we have not spent the money required to do so.Despite fine words from our politicians, we have still not seen the promised Defence Investment Plan – the blueprint for military spending priorities – which is one year overdue.In the words of Admiral Lord West, a former First Sea Lord, the situation is wholly unacceptable. It is also a scandal – and an extremely dangerous one.
