Defence (Military)

The Ministry of Defence uses Scotland's coasts and seas. The coasts are mainly used for training and locating bases. The seas, while also used for training, are important for test and evaluation activities as well as surveillance and monitoring of potential threats, and for combating these threats.

Most use of the coasts and seas is by the Royal Navy (submarine base, jetties and exercise areas), but coastal locations for both the Army (training camp and firing ranges), Royal Air Force (bases, coastal Air Weapon Ranges and Danger Areas) and Defence Test and Evaluation Ranges (used by the MOD to trial weapon systems) are also important. Detailed information about the intensity of defence use of the seas is not available for reasons of national security. However, the firing ranges, for example, are not in constant use but vary depending on operational requirements.

The major training activity each year is the Joint Maritime Course (JMC) with navy, army and air force exercises conducted off the Scottish north west coast. These waters, with the Inner Hebrides, form the Navy's Scottish Exercise Areas (SXAs), part of the overall practice exercise areas (PEXA). These are marked on navigation charts and cover large areas of sea although actual exercises are restricted to a limited number of weeks per year and cover only a proportion of these areas at any one time. The areas marked on the chart shows the full area of the marine environment available for military training and other defence activities.