Bob Ainsworth, the Defence Secretary, told MPs the changes, including a new fleet of Chinook helicopters, would ensure “those who put themselves in harm’s way on our behalf remain properly supported and resourced”.
However, Liam Fox for the Conservatives blamed the cuts on the UK Government’s “catastrophic economic mismanagement”, saying: “Our brave armed forces are paying for Labour’s incompetence, including Kinloss, where it seems there will be fewer flying hours, a redeployment of some air crews to other bases and a loss of civilian jobs.”
Angus Robertson, the SNP leader at Westminster whose constituency includes RAF Kinloss, said it was “outrageous” Mr Ainsworth had surrendered to the Treasury.
“Over recent years £4.3 billion less has been spent on defence in Scotland than has been contributed by taxpayers in Scotland and 9500 defence jobs have been lost in Scotland since Labour came to power.”
The Moray MP added the Government had made the wrong calls on defence cuts while “blowing billions on a new generation of Trident nuclear weapons”.
Last night, Labour’s Adam Ingram hit back, insisting all three Scottish RAF bases would remain open, underlining Scotland’s strategic importance to the defence of the UK.
Accusing the Nationalists of “disgraceful scaremongering”, the former defence minister added: “Under the SNP’s plans, there would be no RAF bases in Scotland and no new jets.”
While much of the detail of any future plans will depend on a full Strategic Defence Review – due after the General Election, whichever party wins – the Ministry of Defence pointed to around 10,000 job losses over the next five years.
Most of these, 7500, will be civilian but subject to a review while the announced closure of RAF Cottesmore in the Midlands will result in the loss of 1500 RAF personnel and 300 Royal Navy staff. Over the next four years, there will also be reductions of 500 in each of these services.
The Army, by contrast, will see no losses but, because it has reached its full contingent of 100,000, will have recruitment frozen.
Sources at Westminster suggested No 10 wanted to axe RAF Kinloss alongside RAF Cottesmore but the air force top brass successfully saved the Scottish base, which has about 1800 service personnel, 300 civilian workers and 300 contractors.
Yet part of the package of reprioritising resources for the frontline in Afghanistan will mean Kinloss’s 11 Nimrod MR2 reconnaissance planes, which were due to be taken out of service in early 2011, will now be replaced from next March. It was this type of aircraft that exploded over Afghanistan three years ago with the loss of 14 lives. The MR2s’ replacement, nine MRA4s, will begin arriving in February but will operate at a reduced rate until autumn 2012.
The effective mothballing of RAF Kinloss for 18 months was described by the MoD as like “having a car and only taking it out twice a week”.
Part of the cuts package includes the immediate loss of one squadron of Harrier jets with the intention of cutting the Tornado and Harrier force by a further “one or two squadrons”. This could affect RAF Lossiemouth, which has four Tornado squadrons. However, the MoD could not be too specific, saying decisions would be made after the defence review.
Other cuts include:
some aspects of Army training
the removal from service of one survey ship and one minehunter
reduced spending on the defence estate
planned reductions in older helicopters being brought forward.
In contrast, the extra resources will include:
22 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters although the first will not arrive in Afghanistan until 2012/13
more body armour, night-vision goggles and tactical radios
enhanced capabilities to deal with roadside bombs and
more cash for special forces communications.
Mr Ainsworth told MPs it had been a difficult balance to strike but one he was confident the MoD had got right.
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