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Armed forces in Scotland

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Suðreyjar (talk | contribs) at 16:06, 3 January 2024 (The Scottish Government has no jurisdiction over military policy and there is no prospect of Scotland becoming an independent country in the short to medium term so this stuff isn't really relevant to the article. Perhaps a separate page could be made for it? "Proposed military of an independent Scotland" to outline what the SNP and Scottish government want to do.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Edinburgh tattoo

This is a list of active military units, bases and barracks of the British Armed Forces in Scotland. The armed forces in Scotland include the military bases and organisation in Scotland or associated with Scotland. This includes servicemen and women from Scotland and Scottish regiments and brigades. The Military in Scotland includes the three services. The Army (regular and reserve) which has bases across Scotland, the RAF and the Navy.

Presence

The military presence in Scotland as of 2021 consists of the following:

  • 10,440 Regular Armed Forces personnel
  • 5,320 Reserve Personnel
  • 4,030 Civilian Personnel

As of April 2021, the Regular Armed Forces in Scotland included; 3,790 in the Army, 4,270 in the Navy and 2,060 in the Air Force.[1]

UK government policy

Defence and national security are reserved matters which are the responsibility of the UK parliament and reserved matters are set out in schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998.[2] The UK Government claims that Scotland’s geography, and military capabilities is important for the UK and NATO’s defence and security in the North Atlantic and the High North. The UK government identified the following factors that may influence priorities in these regions;

  • Increasing Russian hostilities
  • Chinese interest in Arctic politics
  • New sea routes & traffic (including new routes opened by retreating ice)
  • Resource competition
  • Vulnerability of offshore and subsea infrastructure e.g 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage[3]

The UK Government made a pledge of 12,500 regular armed forces by 2020 which not been meet and has thus been criticised by the Scottish government.[1][4] The Scottish government argues that Westminster's commitment to nuclear weapons has led to other aspects of Scottish defence weakened and that Trident renewal will reduce funding for conventional equipment and the number service personnel. They also claim that "cost overruns are endemic and major projects have been significantly delayed" and uses the example of two aircraft carriers built before availability of aircraft for them.[5]

Expenditure

The following table lists the annual public expenditure allocated to Scotland from 2013/14 to 2021/22 according to the Office for National Statistics and below is the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) expenditure in Scotland itself:

Year 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22
Allocated to Scotland £m (current price)[6] 3,021 3,034 3,021 3,055 3,174 3,293 3,451 3,630 3,972
Spent in Scotland £m (% of UK spend)[7] 1,316 1,407 1,523 1,585 1,649 1,758 2,066 1,989 2,010
Difference £m[6][7] 1,705 1,627 1,498 1,470 1,525 1,535 1,385 1,641 1,962

Policy

The UK government views the UK's defence as being "stronger and safer" with cooperative Scottish participation in the combined defence and security of the UK.[8] The UK government claims for 2021/22 that defence spending per capita was £370 in Scotland and £310 for the whole of the UK.[9]

First minister Humza Yousaf has said that an independent Scotland would aim to maintain 2% GDP defence spending to meet the NATO target.[10][11]

Army

Royal Regiment of Scotland at Edinburgh Castle

The centre of army operations in Scotland is Leuchars Station in Fife is the base for the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, the Royal Engineers and Military police units.[1] Robin Lindsay is the Military Secretary and General Officer Scotland.[12]

Policy

In 2021, UK defence secretary Ben Wallace made a committed that the number of battalions stationed in Scotland would increase from six to seven units and that the army in Scotland would be a "greater proportion of the Army than today". He

also said that Kinloss and Leuchars bases would be expanded.[13]

Redford barracks is set to close in 2029 and Fort George is set to close in 2032 as part of the UK government's Future Soldier plan.[14][15]

The Black Watch battalion will relocate from Fort George barracks to Leuchars (both in Scotland) in 2029. This would mean closure of Fort George in 2029 rather than 2032 as originally planned and the return of the Black Watch to the traditional recruiting area of Tayside.[16]

Scottish units

Units based in England

Barracks

Operations and policy

Faslane naval base

The Clyde naval base (Faslane) houses the nuclear-armed Vanguard 15 class submarines that form the "At-Sea Nuclear Deterrent". The base also houses the Astute Class of attack submarines and a frigate acting as a Towed Array Patrol ship operates that protect Trident-equipped submarines and perform anti-submarine activities.[3]

Due to retreat of arctic ice, it is possible that maritime activity in the High North will increase with a further emphasis on navy activities from Scotland. This is made more likely by Russian emphasis on arctic naval activity.[3]

Trident

Main article: Trident (UK nuclear programme)

The Scottish government and a cross-party majority in the Scottish Parliament is opposed to having nuclear weapons in Scotland. In the event of Scottish independence, which is supported by the Scottish government, the nuclear programme will be moved out of Scotland "at pace".[28][29] The SNP have claimed that Scotland spends £180m annually on Trident alone, and so £180m would be saved each year with the removal of Trident and independence.[30]

In the event of Scottish independence, the MOD of the UK's preferred option would be to move the at-sea nuclear deterrent base to Devonport naval base in Plymouth. The UK government has no plans to move Trident otherwise.[31]

Bases & establishments

Air force

Lossiemouth air base

Operations and policy

Air force assets in Scotland operate in defence of the North Atlantic and the High North via; surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and Quick Reaction Alert jets from Lossiemouth base, which is the primary air base in Scotland.[3] The Air Officer Scotland is Air-Vice Marshall Ross Paterson.[42]

GIUK gap

Surveillance of the Greenland-Iceland-UK Gap (GIUK gap) also occurs from Lossiemouth which contributes to Iceland's policing. The P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft is used in the GIUK gap and for anti-submarine warfare. Norwegian P-8As also use facilities at Lossiemouth, and the RAF also uses Norwegian bases. The Norwegian Ambassador says this provides cost savings and operational flexibility.[3]

Stations

Bases

Exercises

Twice a year Excercise Joint Warrior utilises the navy, marines, air force and army and forces from 13 other countries in order to test NATO’s ‘Very High Readiness’ forces.[45]

Veterans

As of 2017, there were around 230,000 veterans living in Scotland.[46]

Policy

The Scottish government's policy on supporting veterans has included:

  • The appointment of the first-ever Scottish Veterans Commissioner in 2014
  • A Scottish Government Armed Forces Advocate, and expansion of the Scottish Armed Forces and Veterans Champions network
  • Over £1 million in direct support for projects and organisations that support veterans[47]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Defence in Scotland: military landscape". 2022.
  2. ^ "Devolved and Reserved Powers". www.parliament.scot. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Defence in Scotland: the North Atlantic and the High North". publications.parliament.uk. Scottish Affairs Committee. 21 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Defence". www.gov.scot. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  5. ^ "Chapter 6 International Relations and Defence". www.gov.scot. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  6. ^ a b "Country and regional public sector finances expenditure tables - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  7. ^ a b "MOD regional expenditure with UK industry and supported employment: 2021/22". GOV.UK. 2023-08-03. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  8. ^ "Defence & Security in Scotland | UK Government". Delivering for Scotland. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  9. ^ "UK annual defence procurement worth more than £2 billion to Scotland". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  10. ^ "Promises made on the SNP leadership campaign trail". The Independent. 2023-03-27. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  11. ^ NATO. "Defence expenditures and NATO's 2% guideline". NATO. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  12. ^ "Page 20803 | Supplement 64200, 17 October 2023 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  13. ^ "Army Restructuring: Future Soldier". hansard.parliament.uk. 2021.
  14. ^ a b c d "'Transformation' of Army in Scotland planned". BBC News. 2021-11-25. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  15. ^ a b "Eight military bases in Scotland to close". BBC News. 2016-11-07. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  16. ^ Kieran, Andrews (2023-11-07). "SNP criticises creation of Union division in army shake-up". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  17. ^ a b c "51ST INFANTRY BRIGADE AND HQ SCOTLAND".
  18. ^ "105 REGIMENT ROYAL ARTILLERY".
  19. ^ "32 SIGNAL REGIMENT".
  20. ^ "THE ROYAL LOGISTIC CORPS 154 REGIMENT RLC".
  21. ^ "THE SCOTS GUARDS".
  22. ^ "19 REGIMENT ROYAL ARTILLERY".
  23. ^ "CONSIDERATION OF PUBLIC PETITION PE 1352" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-11-28. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  24. ^ Ross, Calum (2022-03-30). "Kinloss Barracks earmarked for £25million accommodation revamp". Press and Journal. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  25. ^ "Army bases: Fewer than expected troops to return to Scotland". BBC News. 2013-03-05. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  26. ^ "Army fire power tested over Scotland's skies".
  27. ^ a b "Leuchars Dversion Airfield".
  28. ^ "Removing Trident will be a key task for an independent Scotland". Scottish National Party. 2021-09-06. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  29. ^ "Trident would be removed 'at pace' by an independent Scotland". The Times. 2021.
  30. ^ "Revealed: Scotland pays £180m for Trident every year". The National. 2019-03-18. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  31. ^ Lynch, David (2021-09-01). "No plans to move nuclear subs over Scottish independence fears – MoD". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  32. ^ "HMNB CLYDE".
  33. ^ WCN. "Deputy Superintendent RNAD Coulport - Civil Service Jobs - GOV.UK". www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  34. ^ "Royal Navy recognises 168 years combined service At HMNB Clyde". www.royalnavy.mod.uk. 2023.
  35. ^ "RM CONDOR".
  36. ^ "HMS DALRIADA (GLASGOW)".
  37. ^ "MoD accused of expanding sub test area without consultation". BBC News. 2015-03-02. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  38. ^ "HMS SCOTIA (ROSYTH)".
  39. ^ "URNU EAST SCOTLAND".
  40. ^ "URNU Glasgow".
  41. ^ a b c d e f g "Our Bases".
  42. ^ "Air Officer Scotland".
  43. ^ a b "UK RAF STATIONS MAP".
  44. ^ "RAF LOSSIEMOUTH".
  45. ^ "EXERCISE JOINT WARRIOR". www.royalnavy.mod.uk.
  46. ^ "Veterans' Health & Wellbeing in Scotland" (PDF).
  47. ^ "Overarching measures". www.gov.scot. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
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