The long-term future of Scotland's three major RAF bases is expected to become clearer when a round of budget cuts is revealed.
The RAF base at Kinloss in Moray is to bear the brunt of military budget cuts in Scotland, it has been confirmed.
The base at Kinloss in Moray is expected to bear the brunt of reductions north of the border.
Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth told the House of Commons that Nimrod MR2 aircraft would be withdrawn from the base 12 months earlier than planned.
It is believed parts of the facility could be put in "cold storage" to save money.
The introduction of the Nimrod MRA4 would also be slowed for financial reasons, he said.
However, the BBC understands that Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth will keep all three Scottish bases open.
But all three of the large RAF bases in Scotland - at Kinloss, Leuchars and Lossiemouth - will remain open.
Sources have indicated that the three large RAF bases in Scotland - Leuchars, Lossiemouth and Kinloss - will all remain open.
However, the Kinloss announcement could see part of the base essentially put in "cold storage" to save money, the BBC understands.
However, it is thought the Ministry of Defence (MoD) will decide to remove older Nimrod aircraft from Kinloss earlier than anticipated and delay the arrival of their replacements.
Mr Ainsworth also said the UK's force of Harrier jump jets would be cut by one squadron.
Gordon Brown's refusal to rule out cuts will fuel speculation and add to the intolerable uncertainty for service personnel and their families Angus RobertsonSNP defence spokesperson
There will be a further reduction of a squadron of either Harrier or Tornado jets, with the exact composition to be decided at the next defence review. RAF Lossiemouth is the RAF's largest Tornado GR4s base.
In effect, this would mean "mothballing" or putting parts of the base in "cold storage" and would be designed to save money on operating costs.
The cuts are part of a UK-wide review by the Ministry of Defence.
The BBC also understands the Tornado force based at RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Marham in Norfolk will lose one squadron.
Mr Ainsworth had previously announced that 22 new Chinook helicopters will be ordered over the next 10 years for operations in Afghanistan.
Two of the bases, Kinloss and Lossiemouth, are in Moray SNP MP Angus Robertson's constituency.
He tried to raise the matter in the Commons, but said: "Gordon Brown's refusal to rule out cuts will fuel speculation and add to the intolerable uncertainty for service personnel and their families.
"At a time when our forces are already overstretched and under-resourced it would be a betrayal by this Labour government to threaten vital bases and defence programmes while squandering billions on Trident nuclear weapons renewal.
"The fact is that Gordon Brown's government is already responsible for a £4.3bn defence underspend in Scotland, and 9,500 defence jobs have been lost in Scotland since Labour came to power - that is an appalling record."
Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth has already announced that 22 new Chinook helicopters will be ordered over the next 10 years for operations in Afghanistan.
But cuts to help pay for them are expected to be revealed on Tuesday afternoon as part of a UK-wide review by the MoD, which will focus on the RAF.
