I doubt they will divide the forces up by population and even less likely by financial contribution. The latter is incrdibly difficult to calculate, since you would have to weigh the relative contributions from each country for the years each item was paid for, then of course if your going to include oil/gas money, then of course all subsidies (direct and indirect) ever given to Scotland would have to be deducted too!

Simply put, the Scotish will be given enough forces to maintain the basics of their defence policy, so some rescue aircraft at minimum but the rest is debatable. If they want fast jets, they likely to only get around 2 squadrons, and I cant see the RAF letting them cherry pick the best aircraft, rather a mix of what there is but with the fewest different types possible. From the Scottish side, the government will have little interest in maintaining a real air force when they are trying to cover the vast black hole left from not having English financial support, rather they will try and wriggle some arrangement where England provides air defence for Scotland using England’s defence budget. Ultimately the “kit” isn’t where the Scotish government will feel it, base closures are, even if the personnel are relocated to England!

Regarding naval forces, they will likely want to find some work for their shipbuilding industry in the short term, so more likely than requesting a share of the existing naval forces they are likely to angle for a English funded class of OPV’s (built in Scotland) which will be used for fisheries patrol ect. If they go for a share, probably 2 frigates plus a few MCMV’s and OPV’s. Regarding the SSBN’s, they will all be relocated to Devonport, since they are useless without the warheads and SSN facilities all of which are in England!

I’m afraid this post shows a lack of information you have and perhaps in England as a whole, about what an independant Scotland would be like.
The print material (again no links I’m afraid) I’ve read suggests that percentage entitlement is already written in law regarding the dissolution of the Act of Union.
There would then be as I stated above negotiation as to actual numbers and types and as Fedaykin pointed out reparations…or to put it another way the remnants of the UK (not just England) buying back Scotland’s share.

The RAF wouldn’t have much choice as to what was “cherry picked” as you phrased it.

Again it’s acknowledged that Scottish oil and Gas revenues are indeed Scottish. There is agreements in place over much of the North Sea oil and Gas fields, though the final “line in the water” has still to be agreed as to where Scottish Waters end and those of the remnants of the UK would begin.
I’m sure there are statistics somewhere though the UK government might deny that, regarding exactly how much tax each different oil or gas field has generated since inception…A formula for a cut of this to be returned to Scotland might be negotiated.

Regarding your comments about the Navy, the SNP is commited to a Nuclear Free Scotland, so the SSNs would go south with reparations coming North for the Scottish tax-payers share of the fleet, likewise the Scottish taxpayer’s share of the CVFs would be in reparation.
Any new build requirements for a Scottish navy would not be “English Funded” but funded through the reparation funds paid by the government of the remnants of the UK. You might consider that to be the same, or playing word games, but I feel that it’s important that that distinction be made.

I do feel that overall there is a major misconception as to what the make up of Scots Armed Forces would be post-independence. Usually in a detrimental fashion, whether this is fuelled through a lack of knowledge or a concerted effort to mislead or simply people being patronising towards Scotland and the Scots.

I’d also ask the question of the remnants of the UK, where are they going to find the financial capability to fill the huge black hole that not having the revenue from Scotlands Oild and Gas would leave them in?
It’s argueable that London is only the financial power that it has become on the back of this revenue, and without it could London hold this place, and keep the remnants of the UK at existing tax levels…I seriously doubt it.

I realise it’s all Politics, and American politicians are (ahem) the best that Money can buy.

Yes, but there is still so much for the Europeans to teach us poor colonials!:diablo:

I like how you pick up on the one throw away line, yet ignore the rest of the post.

Thompson said the changes in requirements, as well as the tight timetable, are an “open invitation” to another appeal by Boeing.

Northrop or Boeing could appeal the final Pentagon proposal if they believe it is biased. Whoever loses the competition can appeal that decision, too.

An appeal of the final request for proposals would effectively delay the tanker competition until after a new administration takes over in January.
….
“After going round after round on one of our military’s most important and critically needed procurements, this draft RFP changes the rules of the game in overtime,” Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in a statement.

Source : http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/373802_tanker07.html

Maybe I’m being thick here, but doesn’t a new RFP make it a whole new game, with it’s own rules?

And how can anyone appeal the DOD’s proposal?
Surely that’s like saying…
“you don’t know what you want but we do and it’s our aircraft.”
When the only reason to appeal would be because their own aircraft doesn’t fit the requirement.

I realise it’s all Politics, and American politicians are (ahem) the best that Money can buy.
It seems to me that it’s no longer about the aircraft at all, rather a political urinating contest, with the splashes staining the reputation of Boeing in particular but Airbus/NG too.

OK interesting views on the second part … what about the first part regarding refueling all the USAF aircraft including the Osprey?

As I pointed out earlier, the tickets were less than £17 when bought in advance. I paid £14 for mine.

£14 plus the £4 parking (which paid the farmer for the hire of the old runways as this isn’t museum land).
Deduct the standard museum admission of £5.50 (which includes a 10% voluntary contribution…The NMS is a registered Charity)

Leaves a 14 item display for a net cost of £12.50.

Mauld: The North/South flight line is ideal at East Fortune given that it’s an afternoon show. The sun when out is usually working its way behind the crowd line by afternoon bathing the aircraft in light.
As pointed out above East Fortune doesn’t own the full airfield, only the small section where the museum is, the rest it has to hire. If the display was to move around an use the Main E/W axis runway…where would the spectators park?

The BBMF at Leuchars is a different proposition as being in September and towards the end of the season. Namely not as many bookings and so can give themselves a transit window to get up here.
It’s unfortunate that East Fortune being at the end of July is the height of the season and the BBMF have so many commitments that they have to base themselves in the North East of England, rather than transiting into Edinburgh on the Friday and displaying at East Fortune before heading South to Newcastle.

16.15 today F58 Hunter “Miss Demeanour” banked onto fairly short finals for Runway 06 at Edinburgh airport ahead of East Fortune airshow tomorrow.

You can’t blame the carriers for lack of fore-sight in not having replacement airframes organised long before this.

That goes for the MR2As as well as the R1s

Oh come on! Its about time there was a decent film done for the world of military aviation.

And you seriously think TopGun 2 will be it ?