0a336bn hole

A £36billion black hole in the UK defence budget disclosed last night threatens thousands of Scottish defence jobs.

A damning report named several key projects which could be shelved, fuelling fears about the future of RAF bases in Moray and Fife.

Among the projects named in the National Audit Office report today is the Joint Combat Aircraft being developed with the US and intended to replace Tornado squadrons at Lossiemouth.

The report also criticises a Ministry of Defence decision to delay building two super-aircraft carriers in the Clyde and at Rosyth to save £450million now but add £674million to the total bill, bringing it to £5.1billion.

A defence equipment statement today is expected to touch on issues affecting the Scottish bases but was thought last night to be unlikely to remove uncertainty surrounding the three major RAF bases at Kinloss, Lossiemouth and Leuchars – with one expected to face eventual closure.

The UK Government would be reluctant to make a closure announcement just before the general election.

But last night Prime Minister Gordon Brown failed to counter speculation about the three bases when he announced £150million more will be spent on new equipment, including detector devices and robots, and training to cope with improvised explosive devices which killed many of the 100 British troops who have died in Afghanistan this year.

He ignored a challenge in the Commons from SNP defence spokesman Angus Robertson, MP for Moray, to respond to reports being read by personnel at Kinloss and Lossiemouth “about base closures and defence cuts”.

Mr Robertson said later: “Gordon Brown’s refusal to rule out cuts will fuel speculation and add to the intolerable uncertainty for service personnel and their families.”

A green paper on future defence options is expected early in the new year.

Reports last night suggested the earlier than expected phasing out of aged Nimrod MR2 aircraft at Kinloss – the type of plane that exploded over Afghanistan three years ago with the loss of 14 lives.

Nine long-delayed replacement MRA4 Nimrods are due to start arriving in February.

The fleet could be relocated, possibly to RAF Waddington or Brize Norton.

The £2.45billion cost of the new Joint Combat Aircraft (JCA) for the new aircraft carriers raises a questionmark over its affordability and the long-term future of Lossie-mouth, currently the base for Tornado reconnaissance and attack jets.

Tornados based at RAF Leuchars are due to be replaced by squadrons of Typhoon Eurofighters, some of which may be relocated to Lossiemouth instead.

RAF sources were unable to explain last night what the Plan B would be for aircraft for the carriers if Britain pulls out of the JCA programme.

Commons public accounts committee chairman Edward Leigh said the NAO report “reveals the unpalatable truth that the current defence programme is unaffordable”.

He added: “Hard decisions need to be taken in the near future.”

Mr Leigh said there could be no “sacred cows” – not even the Trident submarine missile nuclear deterrent.

Comptroller and auditor general Amyas Morse said bold action is required to prioritise defence spending, and Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth has warned he has to take “tough decisions".