A Scottish Navy – no longer something that should be discounted but of course they have one already in the form of the fishery research ship SCOTIA (1999), and the three (3) marine protection vessels – the MINNA (2003), JURA (2005) and HIRTA (2008).    If you accept that 8½% is the division used for the National Assets that pass to Scotland on independence then a simple mathematical calculation results, bearing in mind the likely non nuclear stance of a future Scottish Government controlled by the Scottish National Party.   The figures look like this:

                                                                                   UK                 Scottish

                                                                                  Total              Allocation

Nuclear Powered Strategic Submarines:                            4                      .34%

Nuclear Powered Fleet Submarines:                                  7                      .59%

Capital Ships (Carriers/Assault Ships/Helicopter Carrier:  5                      .42%

Destroyers and Frigates:                                               19                     1.61%

Survey Ships:                                                                3                      .25%

Royal Fleet Auxiliaries (say):                                          12                     1.02%

Minecountermeasure Vessels:                                          15                     1.27%

Archer Class Coastal Patrol Boats:                                  16                     1.36%

So on the face of it the Royal Navy would lose say two (2) frigates, a Royal Fleet Auxiliary (1) and three (3)  smaller vessels which would be a valid negotiating position, and a sustainable loss one might say.

The real issue would be the future of the Faslane Naval Base and its attendant Armament Depot at Coulport which no doubt would be a thorny political issue.    In truth however there is not a real problem.   The submarines based at Faslane are not alongside for much of the time and could easily depart for Devonport and Portsmouth and work from there.   Both locations are “cleared” for nuclear submarine operations.    Maintenance can (and is) done at Devonport and quite easily one imagines that function could transfer there.   There is a ship lift at Barrow, where our submarines are built as an alternative option.   The nuclear warheads are already maintained at the Aldermaston/Burghfield complex tucked away in the “home counties” and moved to and from Scotland without problem, and could be sent elsewhere if needed.   We do not actually own any of the TRIDENT missiles, as we lease them from a pooled fleet with the Americans, and they come from a central maintenance base at King’s Bay (Georgia) and merely transit Coulport.

The new “Valiant Submarine Jetty” at Faslane is a portable asset. being a floating structure.   This facility is due to be completed in December 2012, (more than four years late at maximum contracted price of £ 134 million - now quoted at some £ 226 million with AMEC, the contractor responsible only for the first £ 50 million).  Also there is ongoing a £ 31.7 million refurbishment of the nearby Explosives Handling Jetty at the Armament Depot at Coulport (near Faslane) which is on target to be completed six months ahead of schedule, in December 2012.    

Presumably if push comes to shove the submarines would sail away from Faslane, the missiles and warheads stored at Coulport could be disbursed to Aldermaston/Burghfield or King’s Bay (Georgia), whilst alternative facilities were established.       The “Valiant Submarine Jetty” could be towed away to an English or Welsh deepwater location and in addition to Devonport and Portsmouth places such as Falmouth and Milford Haven could be considered.   The French and Americans would surely assist and would have a very direct interest in the British being able to maintain their deterrent patrols.    For that matter in the world of new Entente Cordiale what is to stop “our” strategic submarines working alongside our allies, from their French base at Île Longue near Brest.   For the Scottish Nationalists the removal of the “British” from Faslane is not much of a trump card in any negotiation as the Royal Navy could simply sail away and do what it has always done, and find a way round any problem!