The announcement means the number of warships which will be in service by the mid-2020s will drop to a mere 15. There will be nine frigates and six Type 45 destroyers by 2027. At the same time, the older Type 23 ships are to be paid off from 2023.

The USA has 91 warships, China has 88, Russia 26 and France holds 22.

Even Italy has 17, making Britain’s naval defence fleet far less superior in comparison to other nations.

Former admirals have described the admission by defence chiefs as a “national embarrassment” and a “disgrace”.

The ex-First Sea Lord Admiral Lord West told The Sun: “Just 15 major service ships will put us into the second tier of the world’s navies.

“Fifteen surface ships means only five on task, as a third will be in maintenance and a third will be training.

“For a great nation like ours, just five frigates on task is a national embarrassment and disgrace.”

He was repeatedly assured by defence chiefs that the ships would be delivered on time.

The warship figure was revealed in a letter last month to the Commons Public Accounts Committee.

Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary Stephen Lovegrove said five new Type 31 frigates – part of the Government’s National Shipbuilding Strategy – will not come into service until May 2027.

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This is four years later than planned, and breaks the Government’s promise never to drop below 19 ships.

The Commons defence committee chairman Tobias Ellwood described the situation as “concerning”.

Mr Ellwood plans to investigate the issue further.

He said: “The committee plans to conduct an inquiry into our surface fleet.

“We rightly prize our carriers but they were built without altering the overall naval budget so the surface fleet is suffering at the very time our shipping lanes are getting more dangerous.

“Our post Brexit economy will require unhindered access to these waters and future justifies a Defence budget closer to 3 percent than 2 percent.”

Current First Sea Lord Admiral Tony Radakin was said to be furious, and has ordered staff to make sure the depleted fleet can still meet demands.

The development is a fall from grace for the Royal Navy, as in the 1970s, Britain boasted a fleet of 70 frigates and destroyers.

It is thought the revelation will increase tensions between the Ministry of Defence and Downing Street, as policy on defence and security is due to be debated in the summer.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “We remain committed to ensuring the Royal Navy will have the ships required to fulfil its defence commitments.”

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