Scottish Secretary Alister Jack will stress the importance of Scotland to UK and Nato defence on a visit to an RAF base north of the border.

His visit to RAF Lossiemouth in Moray on Tuesday comes a day after Defence Secretary Ben Wallace outlined a major overhaul of the armed forces, confirming the Army will shrink by around 10,000 troops.

As part of the plans RAF Lossiemouth will become home to three early warning and surveillance E-7 Wedgetail aircraft in 2023, which Mr Wallace said is “more capable fleet” than the current E-3D Sentry and would “transform the United Kingdom early warning and control capabilities, as well as contributing to Nato”.

Speaking ahead of his visit on the day the UK Government publishes its defence and security industrial strategy, Mr Jack said this paper, together with the Defence Secretary’s announcement and last week’s review of security and international policy “demonstrate powerfully how important defence is to Scotland – and how important Scotland is to the defence of the UK and, indeed, our Nato allies”.

He will say these are “clear and credible plans as to how we will modernise and adapt the posture of our Armed Forces, supported by additional UK Government investment of £24bn, over the next four years”.

“This will see Scotland benefit from increased investment and skilled jobs in traditional areas such as shipbuilding, and in rapidly developing areas such as cyber and space,” the Scottish Secretary will add.

“UK defence and Scotland enjoy a special two-way relationship: the UK brings key security and economic benefits to Scotland; Scottish military and civilian personnel at establishments across the nation are home to military capabilities, vital to the UK and its Nato allies.”

He will continue: “Alone, no one part in our union can protect its citizens from the new threats we face and prosper economically and socially.

“But together, all parts of the UK will take full advantage of the opportunities that lie before us.”

The Scottish Government’s veterans minister Graeme Dey said he welcomed investment to the armed forces in Scotland, but added the paper “shows overall that the UK Government is considering major cuts to armed forces personnel which will most significantly affect the army”.

He added: “The Scottish Government recognises the strategic importance of RAF Lossiemouth to the wider defence system, and the investment of new aircrafts in creating jobs.

“However, the UK Government fails to acknowledge the importance of military presence within Scotland’s communities through their ill-conceived plans for base closures in other parts of the country.

“We once again call upon them to reverse their decision to close bases in Scotland, given the impact to local economies and our skills base.”