A demand has been made for Leuchars to be reopened as an RAF base.
North East Fife MP Stephen Gethins has called on Defence Secretary Michael Fallon to bring the base which now houses the army back into use for airborne military operations.
The SNP representative has submitted an early day motion at Westminster ahead of the UK Government’s strategic defence review, which The Courier understands will be published on Monday.
Mr Gethins said: “The Government must consider reopening the former RAF base at Leuchars as part of its current Strategic Defence and Security Review as the best strategic location and facilities which are the best the RAF has.
“Yes, it is now an army base but that doesn’t mean it can’t accommodate a squadron if the will is there to do it.
“Common sense must prevail. The Government must decide whether it will replace its maritime patrol capability and ease the burden on Nato, and we need to ensure our safety and security in the face of increased foreign threats.”
He also argued reopening of the base for RAF use would bring an economic boost to the area.
The Courier last month revealed that ministers were considering putting a new fleet of maritime patrol aircraft into Fife.
Speculation has also raged that several Typhoon aircraft, mothballed to cut costs in 2011, could be brought out of storage and put back into service locally.
In his early day motion, Mr Gethins said the former air base now called Leuchars Station and home to two army regiments as well as military police and around 50 air traffic control personnel is ideally placed to offer an immediate response to any threats affecting the country’s eastern seaboard.
He argued the UK Government must consider locating the newest and most capable air defences at the base home to the RAF for a century until last year and utilise its facilities, which include a multi-million pound, fully-operational runway.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “SDSR 2015 is considering the current and likely future national security risks and in turn the capabilities the armed services will need to address these risks in the future.
“The Government will report back on the details shortly.”