It is rumoured that the Black Watch could be axed

It is not known which battalion will go as part of a review which is also expected to cause job losses at RAF Kinloss and RAF Lossiemouth in Moray.

Shadow Scottish Secretary Peter Duncan said the decision created "terrible uncertainty" for forces personnel.

The Scottish National Party said the "sword of Damocles" was hanging over Scotland's six historic regiments.

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon announced the armed forces cuts on Wednesday as part of "radical" modernisation plans.

It will not be known until the end of the year which battalion will be lost.

Mr Duncan, the Tory MP for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale, said that those serving in the armed forces would be "devastated" by the news.

Our servicemen and women deserve better treatment from the government Angus Robertson SNP defence spokesman

He said: "The axe still hangs above all of Scotland's regiments and Scottish Conservatives will continue to lead the fight to maintain the existing historic and successful regimental structure."

The armed forces are already stretched to the limits, Mr Duncan said.

"To stretch them further with these savage cuts is nothing short of gross negligence on the part of the government," he added.

Tory MSP Murdo Fraser said it had been rumoured that the Black Watch could be the battalion facing the axe.

"It will be a tragic day for Tayside and Fife and a dangerous precedent for our country," he warned.

"I will be looking for a debate on this when the Scottish Parliament reconvenes."

'Sword of Damocles'

SNP defence spokesman Angus Robertson is MP for Moray, the area which contains both RAF Kinloss and RAF Lossiemouth.

He said: "The sword of Damocles now hangs over Scotland's regiments.

"We are almost certainly going to see one of Scotland's historic regiments go, and an end to Scotland's distinct regiments with the remaining five being amalgamated with new artificially created super regiments.

The RAF in Scotland is braced for cuts

"This news is a disaster for the whole of Scotland, and our service men and women deserve better treatment from the government."

He said his own constituency would be badly hit by the proposals for the RAF bases.

Eddie Coutts, convener of Moray Council, said: "Any threat to either of the two bases will be an economic disaster.

"We have 4,000 service personnel and 750 civilian employees at the bases.

"The next year is going to be an extremely worrying time for the service personnel and their families."

Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE) today is to carry out a full economic impact assessment of any reduction in the RAF's presence in Moray.

Research published by HIE last year highlighted that the two bases had a major impact on the social fabric of the area, generating more than �93m each year for the economy and employing about 5,000 people, 750 of them civilians.

This announcement is quite frankly an insult to the proud tradition and record of military service by Scots over many generations John Thurso Liberal Democrat MP

Annabelle Ewing, the SNP MP whose Perth constituency includes the Black Watch's regimental headquarters, said that it deserved better treatment.

"Scotland is proud of its armed forces and our historic regiments.," she said.

"With this in mind, the campaign to save the Black Watch starts here. "

John Thurso MP, the Liberal Democrat spokesman for Scottish affairs, said: "It is a scandal that the appalling record of procurement of high tech gadgetry by this government should only serve to weaken our already overstretched and debilitated fighting personnel.

"At a time when this government seems intent on committing the United Kingdom to new military enterprises throughout the globe it is quite ludicrous to be carrying out reductions of this kind.