An independent Scotland could fund its own defence without cuts to other budgets, according to a Dundee-based academic and former Army commander.
Scotland would have a similar defence budget to Denmark, which “appears to provide effective national defence” and allows the state to participate in “a variety of international operations”, a report by Scottish Global Forum said.
A Scottish military would be more efficient than current UK Armed Forces, according to the Defending An Independent Scotland report by Dundee University politics lecturer Dr John MacDonald and retired Scottish Transport Regiment commander Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Parrott.
“On the balance of available evidence, there thus seems to be no question that an independent Scotland would be able to pay for and sustain a meaningful defence posture of the kind envisaged by the present Scottish Government,” the report states.
SNP defence spokesman Angus Robertson welcome the report and said: “Taxpayers in Scotland contribute billions of pounds to the MoD, which is not spent here, while at the same time we have suffered disproportionate job cuts.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie, said the report was “hugely embarrassing for the SNP”.
He added: “Crucially, it says it will take a dangerous decade for the defence force to get up to strength and recommends using the staffing shortfall to pay for the set-up costs.”