Navy vessels have been ‘cannibalised’

The Royal Navy is increasingly being forced to strip parts from its vessels in order to maintain other ships and submarines in the fleet, an investigation has found.

Equipment “cannibalisation” increased 49 per cent from 2012 to this year. The National Audit Office said budget cuts in the past two years could have increased the need to move parts between vessels and naval helicopters.

Nuclear-powered Astuteclass submarines experienced the highest level of cannibalisation in the fleet.