Has Scotland actually lost a major airfield since 1957?
Yes, they lose Barra twice a day, every day!
Ok, a sorry attempt at humour I know.
I'm guessing (probably somewhat naively) that there are significant training opportunities to be had in RAF Jockistan. For the FJ boys, rapid access to some of the finest low flying systems in the country, same for the ranges. Does being close to the carriers home port really matter that much bearing in mind they won't be there most of the time?
For the Kipper Fleet, big play areas out in the Iceland Gap and North Atlantic that are far enough away from civil airspace to be useful. Plus the infrastructure already exists at ISK for the mighty hunter.
Of course, the cycnic in me wonders whether this is all a sweetener to Scotland following the decimation of the Army Regiments up there!