The Ministry of Defence yesterday denied there was a crisis in the Royal Navy amid claims that Treasury cuts had left it unable to meet its NATO commitments or defend its own ships.
A document leaked to the Daily Telegraph says the navy cannot play its role in NATO's joint rapid reaction force "because ships are not always fully fit for task".
It adds that "significant armoury shortfalls" have forced ships to go to sea without enough ammunition.
The document, the Fleet Risk Register, is believed to have been written by the navy's most senior officer, the Daily Telegraph said.
The Ministry of Defence said the Commander-in-Chief Fleet, which issued the report, had simply "identified a range of possible risks" and was "actively and effectively managing all of them".