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18 July 2011
Last updated at 00:03 ET
The government is expected to confirm later a sizeable cut in the regular Army, as part of a radical overhaul of the armed forces.
Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox has pledged a build-up of reservists to around 38,000, following a model used in America and Australia.
The Army would be reduced from its present strength of 101,000 regulars to some 82,000 by 2020.
Several threatened Scottish military bases will also find out their future.
RAF Leuchars, in Fife, could close but be transformed into an army barracks instead, while RAF Lossiemouth, in Moray, could well be spared, and RAF Marham in Norfolk is also expected to remain open, the BBC's defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said.
It had already been announced that RAF Kinloss, in Moray, was to close.
The proposed changes would mean that by 2015, the regular Army will be at its smallest size for a century.
Dr Fox is expected to endorse a review of reserve forces that says the UK should follow America and Australia in making more use of volunteers, like the Territorial Army, to man the frontlines.
The idea is to ensure reservists are "properly trained and equipped" so that more soldiers, sailors and air personnel are ready for frontline duties.
The BBC's defence correspondent said the Ministry of Defence (MoD) may also have won a guarantee of a slight increase in spending on equipment from 2015.
Our correspondent said the MoD had been trying to balance the books again since last October's defence review,.
The extra cash would pay for 14 new Chinook helicopters, as well as more unmanned aerial vehicles.
However, the overhaul will also mean changes for the RAF bases.
The MoD said the move would mean more service personnel being stationed in Scotland, and therefore the so-called ''defence footprint'' would increase.
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Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox has pledged a build-up of reservists to around 38,000, following a model used in America and Australia.
The Army would be reduced from its present strength of 101,000 regulars to some 82,000 by 2020.
Several threatened Scottish military bases will also find out their future.
RAF Leuchars, in Fife, could close but be transformed into an army barracks instead, while RAF Lossiemouth, in Moray, could well be spared, and RAF Marham in Norfolk is also expected to remain open, the BBC's defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said.
It had already been announced that RAF Kinloss, in Moray, was to close.
The proposed changes would mean that by 2015, the regular Army will be at its smallest size for a century.
Dr Fox is expected to endorse a review of reserve forces that says the UK should follow America and Australia in making more use of volunteers, like the Territorial Army, to man the frontlines.
The idea is to ensure reservists are "properly trained and equipped" so that more soldiers, sailors and air personnel are ready for frontline duties.
The BBC's defence correspondent said the Ministry of Defence (MoD) may also have won a guarantee of a slight increase in spending on equipment from 2015.
Our correspondent said the MoD had been trying to balance the books again since last October's defence review,.
The extra cash would pay for 14 new Chinook helicopters, as well as more unmanned aerial vehicles.
However, the overhaul will also mean changes for the RAF bases.
The MoD said the move would mean more service personnel being stationed in Scotland, and therefore the so-called ''defence footprint'' would increase.
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