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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.
The military presence in Scotland as of 2021 consists of the following:
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]
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;
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]
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 |
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]
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]
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]
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]
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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".[29][30] 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.[31]
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.[32]
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.[43]
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]
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.[46]
As of 2017, there were around 230,000 veterans living in Scotland.[47]
The Scottish government's policy on supporting veterans has included: