It is reported that Defence Secretary Liam Fox has ended speculation that the Royal Air Force could be merged with the other armed services. From Virginia-based journal, DefenseNews:

Lt Gen (retd) Sir Graeme Lamb, Former Commander of the Field Army and a key member of the team which carried out the Future Reserves 2020 (FR20) Study, writes in the Daily Telegraph (13 Jul) that the The balance between regulars and reserves in our Armed Forces should be rethought:

In its final issue after 168 years, the News of the World reports that HMS Liverpool has made the Royal Navy's first use of main armament gunnery since the Falklands Campaign:

Last year we followed the story that that women might be allowed to serve aboard RN submarines for the first time. The Sunday Mirror now reports that:

The Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox is expected to make a statement to the House of Commons next week following the review led by retired judge Lord Philips relating to the crash on 2 June 1994 at the Mull of Kintyre of RAF Chinook ZD676, killing all twenty-five passengers and four crew. From BBC News:

Dundee-based newspaper The Courier claims that the decision on future defence basing, which we were expecting early in the week, may now be delayed until Thursday (14 Jul) due to the business disruption caused by the News of the World alleged phone hacking scandal:

According to Forces News' report of the Armed Forces Bill debate in the Lords on Wednesday evening, the Government is being warned by armed services chiefs that the armed forces could be "on the brink" because of planned reforms and “morally indefensible" redundancies:

To what extent does human rights law apply to British forces on operations overseas? This vexed question has been in the news again lately, the latest development being the long-awaited decision by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg in the case of al-Skeini and Others. Update:

Based on replies by Dr Fox in today's Commons Defence Questions, BBC News says that the decision on RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Leuchars is expected soon:

News of the future of RAF Lossiemouth in Moray and RAF Leuchars in Fife could be imminent, Defence Secretary Liam Fox has hinted.

Mr Fox said a number of decisions on the future of threatened air bases - including the two in Scotland - had been taken.

Answering questions in the Commons, Mr Fox said he hoped "to make progress very shortly".

Campaigners have been trying to save the Lossiemouth and Leuchars bases.

The Scottish government has said Scotland has already suffered more than its fair share of military spending cuts.

The UK government decided to scrap the fleet of new Nimrod spy planes at Kinloss in Moray as part of the defence review

Scottish Secretary Michael Moore has also been gathering evidence on the possible effect of two base closures on the Moray economy.

North East Fife MP Sir Menzies Campbell said that the campaign for keeping RAF Leuchars was in the "home straight" but the race was still on "until we reach the tape".

He urged supporters to e-mail the prime minister directly to make their own case for the base's retention.

• BBC News source: RAF Lossiemouth and Leuchars news could be imminent

According to the Sunday Telegraph, millions of pounds in bonus payments to military bands have been axed as the Ministry of Defence desperately attempts to save more money: