Royal Fleet Auxiliary staff were stunned to hear navy plans to cut the service, because they went through a review just three years ago.
Union leaders have vowed to fight the privatisation of the flotilla, which is being driven by the Treasury.
As reported on Saturday, documents obtained by The News show that auxiliary workers could lose out because private firms are pressuring the government.
A fleet auxiliary worker said: 'We can't accept this change of face – it's a U-turn driven by the big firms bully
ing the government.
'We made our case in 2006 and were told that we provided great value for money.
'We were told it was a 20-year review, so what has changed?'
On October 26 RFA workers were called to a special meeting at navy command headquarters on Whale Island, Portsmouth.
There the RFA's Commodore Bill Walworth told staff that a 'value for money' review meant more than 2,000 jobs were under threat.
He said: 'The RFA has been specifically identified by the Treasury as an area for review against the requirements of Value for Money and the Operational Efficiency Programme.
'As the world economy has slowed the shipping industry has been affected badly, and we believe they have lobbied government vigorously in order to gain business and diversify.'
Cdre Walworth admitted the review would be a threat to morale. He said: 'Coming less than three years after the last review, we would rather have not had to undertake this review given our workload, our flotilla and the impact on morale of our hardworking and operationally focussed team.'
Bob Crow, general secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, said: 'It is a national disgrace that top of the list for government public spending cuts and privatisation is the Royal Fleet Auxiliary – the essential lifeline to Royal Navy vessels on active service all around the globe.
'RMT will mobilise to fight this plan which would amount to an act of short-term suicide that would rob the navy of over a hundred years of experience in the dash for public spending cuts and private profits.
'RMT is seeking an urgent meeting with Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth to prevent this act of vandalism from reaching the pre-Budget report.'
>> Vote in our latest web poll.