What is really going on in politics? Get our daily email briefing straight to your inbox Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Secret talks were held about flogging off vital Royal Navy warships to save cash, it was claimed today.

Sources say deals were discussed to sell “a number” of Type 23 frigates plus two assault ships to Chile and Brazil.

A security and capability review - largely seen as a cuts exercise – is being conducted by Government.

Amid the desperate bid to save money the Royal Navy is trying to claw back cash after building two aircraft carriers costing over £6billion.

Insiders said two frigates - used to hunt Russian submarines – were offered up as cuts.

(Image: PA)

Brazil and Chile were discreetly told they could soon be on the market – despite a Conservative manifesto pledge to ensure the fleet of 13 frigates would not be reduced.

The Navy’s two amphibious assault ships HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark have also been hawked out to the South American countries, according to respected defence journal IHS Jane’s.

Sources within both the Brazilian and Chilean navies said they were assessing the potential acquisition of the warships in the “near term.”

They claimed UK representatives “discreetly advised” the ships would become available as part of the current cuts review.

Senior MoD sources insisted the warships had not been offered up for sale – saying any sale discussions were “hypothetical”.

There has been widespread reports that the two assault ships – officially termed Landing Platform Docks - could get axed in a bid to save cash.

But suggestions Frigates were being hawked out stunned insiders.

Current and former top officers plus the Government have repeatedly said the Royal Navy needs 19 frigates and destroyers to be considered a credible global force.

If any of the 13 frigates were sold it would damage the UK’s ability to protect territorial waters, sources said.

Type 23 frigates bristle with submarine-hunting kit, including a Merlin helicopter with a sonar that can be dipped in the sea.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon admitted there had been an “extraordinary” increase in Russian submarine over the last years.

(Image: Liverpool Echo)

An MOD spokesperson said: “We can categorically confirm that there has been no engagement with either Chile or Brazil in respect of Type 23 Frigates or the two Landing Platform Dock.”

Insiders said the Government remained committed to a minimum fleet of 13 frigates and six destroyers, 19 in total.

The Type 23 frigates were expected to come out of service as the new Type 26 joined the fleet next decade.

Steel was cut on the first of the new frigate fleet this year.

The Royal Navy confirmed helicopter carrier HMS Ocean will come out of service as planned next year and could get sold to another country.

Admiral Lord West, the former First Sea Lord, said that the Ministry of Defence was even taking about something as “dramatic” as selling the frigates was “extraordinary.

He said: “We don’t have enough frigates anyway - and the government have tacitly admitted that by saying they want to grow the number of frigates.

“They were saying we needed to have some slight adjustments to the defence programme because of the squeeze of money. But this is not slight adjustment. This is major cuts.

“They’ve talked about finding money from efficiencies. It is not efficient to get rid of ships, what you do is you reduce your country’s military capability. “

He added: “It’s not what the government said, which means there’s not the money for defence that the government said there would be. So they’re leading us up the garden path a bit.”

Former head of the British armed forces in Afghanistan Colonel Richard Kemp stormed: “If this is the case it is an outrageous example of how our armed forces are being slashed.

“Cuts to British defence - when we are facing grave threats - are a disgrace and are extremely irresponsible.”