Scotland’s defence industry and military infrastructure are being highlighted at a major UK-Norway security summit in Oslo this week.
Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander is attending the Atlantic Future Forum, held aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, which was built at Rosyth.
The event, co-hosted by the UK and Norway, is taking place in mainland Europe for the first time. It brings together defence ministers, military chiefs, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, industry leaders and academics to discuss security in the North Atlantic and the High North.
Mr Alexander is using the forum to highlight Scotland’s role in UK and allied defence, including HMNB Clyde, which supports the UK’s nuclear deterrent, and RAF Lossiemouth, home to Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon aircraft responsible for protecting UK airspace.
The UK Government says its defence investment in Scotland reached £2.53 billion in 2025/26, the highest level recorded. The Ministry of Defence supports 26,300 jobs in Scotland, including 12,200 in industry.
Support for the sector also includes the Scotland Defence Growth Deal and two Defence Technical Excellence Colleges, backed by matched funding from the Scottish Government. The colleges aim to equip young people with skills for careers in defence.
Major projects include the construction of eight Type 26 frigates on the Clyde and a separate naval support ship programme at Rosyth.
A £10 billion agreement between the UK and Norway for Type 26 frigates is expected to sustain more than 2,000 Scottish jobs until the late 2030s and support more than 100 Scottish businesses, including over 50 small and medium-sized enterprises.
Other investment includes a £250 million upgrade of the submarine base at Faslane, £2.5 million for a welding skills centre and a £453 million contract to produce Typhoon radar systems, which is expected to secure hundreds of skilled jobs for the next decade.
The UK Government’s Defence Investment Plan also includes £26 billion for modernising critical naval base infrastructure, with £15.1 billion allocated to the regeneration of HMNB Clyde.
The summit comes after the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) conducted its largest military activity to date this autumn, deploying thousands of troops from the Baltic states to Iceland.
UK forces and JEF allies have been monitoring threats to undersea infrastructure and Russia’s shadow fleet, as well as using artificial intelligence to help protect maritime routes and critical national infrastructure.
Read more
Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for Scotland, said: "Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine is a stark reminder that we cannot ever take Britain’s security for granted, and that’s why Scotland matters more than ever for keeping the country, and our partners, safe.
"Scotland’s defence capabilities and industry are absolutely integral to our collective security.
"Scotland’s defence sector is right at the heart of the Prime Minister's priority of re-industrialisation.
"Our commitment to the High North doesn’t rest on words – it rests on real capability and real investment.
"In Oslo, I’ll be making the case for more investment, more jobs and more capability building on Norway’s £10 billion deal for warships built on the Clyde."
Share