Manning levels in Scottish regiments are among the UK's highest

Another 6,000 jobs north of the border are directly dependent on defence contracts, and it has been estimated that the military presence supports a further 15,000 Scottish jobs.

The MoD has 374 sites in Scotland, including HM Naval Base Clyde.

More than 7,000 navy and civilian staff work at Faslane for the Royal Navy and defence company Babcock Naval Services - the largest number employed on a single site in the country.

The MoD's Scottish land and buildings, which cover almost 25,000 hectares, are thought to be worth �1.3bn.

Approximately �1.5bn of defence expenditure goes directly to Scotland.

Volunteer reservists

Over the next 10 years a contract to build Type 45 warships will see a �75m investment in Scottish shipyards, safeguarding 1,200 jobs on the Clyde.

Manning levels in Scottish regiments are among the highest in the British army.

There are about 5,000 volunteer reservists north of the border, as well as 10,000 young cadets

The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders recently returned from Iraq

Maj Gen Euan Loudon commands 13,500 regular troops, nearly 16,000 territorials and more than 20,000 cadets in the army's 2nd Division, which covers Scotland and the north of England.

The division has responsibility for four regional brigades - including 51 (Scottish) Brigade, based in Stirling and 52 (Infantry) Brigade at Edinburgh Castle - and Catterick Garrison.

The six infantry regiments which form the Scottish Division each have one battalion. They are:

• The Royal Highland Fusiliers, whose 574 troops are based in Cyprus but deployed in Iraq and the Falklands

• The Royal Scots, whose 461 troops are based at Dreghorn Barracks in Edinburgh on high readiness reserve training

• The Kings Own Scottish Borderers, whose 474 troops are based in Omagh, Northern Ireland

• The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, whose 510 troops are based in Canterbury after returning from deployment in Iraq

• The Highlanders, whose 510 troops are based in Fallingbostel, Germany

• The Black Watch, whose 531 troops are based in Warminster, but deployed to Basra.

The two other Scottish regiments are the Scots Guards and the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, who are both based in Germany. They have manning levels of 460 and 450 respectively.

Faslane is the Scottish headquarters of the Royal Navy

The Royal Navy has its Scottish headquarters at Faslane, which is also home to the Trident nuclear submarines.

The fleet contains four Vanguard Class submarines - HMS Vanguard, HMS Victorious, HMS Vigilant and HMS Vengeance.

HM Naval Base Clyde also provides key support services to the Royal Navy fleet.

Among others, it supports the conventionally-armed S class nuclear powered submarines and the bomb disposal ships from the Third Mine Countermeasures Squadron.

The naval presence in Scotland also includes:

• HMS Gannet at Prestwick, which provides two Royal Navy search and rescue crews

• Armaments Depot Coulport and Oil Fuel Depot Garelochhead

• RM Condor in Arbroath, headquarters of 45 Commando Royal Marines

• military ranges at Cape Wrath

• Nato depots at Campbeltown, Loch Striven and Loch Ewe

• HMS Caledonia at Rosyth, which provides accommodation and support for naval personnel.

The senior naval officer in Scotland is Rear Adm Nick Harris, Flag Officer Northern England, Northern Ireland and Scotland (FOSNNI).

Three Tornado squadrons are based at RAF Leuchars

The RAF employs about 6,300 service personnel and 1,300 civilians across the country.

A total of 2,000 service personnel, 450 civilian staff and 50 aircraft are based at RAF Leuchars.

The Fife flying station is home to three squadrons of Tornado F3 aircraft, an RAF mountain rescue unit and an air transportable surgical unit.

RAF Lossiemouth in Moray has three Tornado bomber squadrons, including the historic 617 Dambusters Squadron.

It is home to 2,400 service personnel, 400 civilian staff and 60 aircraft, including two Sea King helicopters.

They are part of the D Flight 202 Squadron, which is due to make the eight-mile move to purpose-built accommodation at RAF Kinloss next year.

Nerve centre

Kinloss is already home to the entire Nimrod fleet of maritime reconnaissance, search and rescue and anti-submarine warfare planes. There are 21 aircraft in the four Nimrod Squadrons.

It is also the base for the Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre (ARCC) - the nerve centre of the entire UK search and rescue effort.

The 2,000 service personnel and 700 civilian staff at Kinloss also include an RAF mountain rescue team and two glider units.

Scotland is home to the Scottish Air Traffic Control Centre at RAF Prestwick and an air defence radar at Saxa Vord in the Shetland Islands.