Scotland can be on the right side of history. We can ensure that these morally bankrupt weapons owned by the UK government are removed and destroyed once and for all.

How a border will be handled and its potential economic impacts need some serious analysis from the Scottish Government. The fact that Scotland’s trade with rUK is three times that with the EU means it looks like the short- term economic impact of a harder border would be negative. 

But some of those negative impacts might be at least partially offset by benefits from migration and free movement of people, and by foreign investment. 

Cyber security issues are clearly emerging as a priority.

Coastal protection is a high priority for Scotland It has been neglected and requires an increase in off-shore patrol vessels and personnel.

The proposed SDF should be designed for flexibility with a modest core capability that can be adapted to changed circumstances.  The SDF's cost will be substantially less than that assigned to Scotland currently by the UK Government.

Nuclear weapons will be a major challenge in transition negotiations. 

The questions that would face an independent Scotland in the area of defence and security are political ones, rather than whether Scotland has the long-term capacity to defend its citizens or its immediate strategic neighbourhood. Of course, further analysis of defence capabilities is necessary, such as the need to explore the repositioning of NATO and Scotland’s role outwith its immediate strategic ambit, the impact of removing Trident on the SDF’s transition, and the impact of Brexit on an independent Scotland’s defence alliances and rUK relations.

This paper is intended to provide an overview of the following aspects of a Scottish Defence & Security Strategy:

• What is meant by ‘Scottish national security’
• What threats it would be required to address
• What framework it would operate under
• How Scottish foreign policy would impact it
• What institutions would implement it

The intent of this paper is not to serve as a finalised strategy but instead to provide a basis for further discussion and development.

Joint production by Gallus Events and Independence Live.  A video conference discussing the defence of Scotland.

Contributions from Scottish military veterans. Discussion on what a Scottish defence force would look like, NATO membership, and the Trident missles based on the clyde