Editing Flag of Scotland (section)

===Use by military institutions on land===

[[File:Challenger Desert Storm 1.jpg|thumb|right|[[Challenger 1]] [[Main Battle Tank|tank]] of the [[Royal Scots Dragoon Guards]] flying a Saltire from the whip antenna]][[File:050625-Kiel-x82-600.jpg|thumb|right|[[Royal Navy]] [[Westland Sea King|Sea King Mk5]] of [[HMS Gannet SAR Flight|HMS ''Gannet'']]]]

The seven [[British Army Infantry]] [[battalion]]s of the [[Scottish Division]], plus the [[Scots Guards]] and [[Royal Scots Dragoon Guards]] [[regiment]]s, use the Saltire in a variety of forms. Combat and transport vehicles of these Army units may be adorned with a small, (130x80mm approx.), representation of the Saltire; such [[decal]]s being displayed on the front and/or rear of the vehicle (on tanks these may also be displayed on the vehicle turret).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.operations.mod.uk/telic/images/bwbg/bw_prep_turret_hr.jpg |title=MoD image |access-date=1 December 2009 |publisher=[[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|MoD]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090716124551/http://www.operations.mod.uk/telic/images/bwbg/bw_prep_turret_hr.jpg |archive-date=16 July 2009  }}</ref> In [[Iraq]], during both [[Operation Granby]] and the subsequent [[Operation Telic]], the Saltire was seen to be flown from the communications [[whip antenna]] of vehicles belonging to these units.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.operations.mod.uk/telic/images/land/rsdg_flag_hr.jpg |title=MoD image |access-date=1 December 2009 |publisher=MoD |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050514041537/http://www.operations.mod.uk/telic/images/land/rsdg_flag_hr.jpg |archive-date=14 May 2005  }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.operations.mod.uk/telic/images/bwbg/shaibah_saltire_hr.jpg |title=MoD image |access-date=1 December 2009 |publisher=MoD |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070610061522/http://www.operations.mod.uk/telic/images/bwbg/shaibah_saltire_hr.jpg |archive-date=10 June 2007  }}</ref> Funerals, conducted with full [[military honours]], of casualties of these operations in Iraq, plus those killed in operations in [[Afghanistan]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/5817/610xxe.jpg |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730190025/http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/5817/610xxe.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 July 2012 |title=The coffin of Black Watch soldier Kevin Elliot is carried from St Mary's Church on September 15, 2009 in Dundee, Scotland. |access-date=9 January 2012 |publisher=trackpads.com }}</ref> have also been seen to include the Saltire being draped over the coffin of the deceased on such occasions.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.sky.com/home/article/13250061 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714222416/http://news.sky.com/home/article/13250061 |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 July 2012 |title=Funeral Of Black Watch Bomb Victim |access-date=9 January 2012 |publisher=sky.com }}</ref>

In the battle for "hearts and minds" in Iraq, the Saltire was again used by the British Army as a means of distinguishing troops belonging to Scottish regiments from other coalition forces, in the hope of fostering better relations with the civilian population in the area south west of [[Baghdad]]. Leaflets were distributed to Iraqi civilians, by members of the [[Black Watch]], depicting troops and vehicles set against a backdrop of the Saltire.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.psywarrior.com/OpnIraqiFreedomcont3.html |title=Operation Iraqi Freedom |access-date=31 May 2009 |publisher=Psywarrior.com }}</ref>

Immediately prior to, and following, the merger in March 2006 of Scotland's historic infantry regiments to form a single [[Royal Regiment of Scotland]], a multi-million-pound advertising campaign was launched in Scotland in an attempt to attract recruits to join the reorganised and simultaneously rebranded "Scottish Infantry". The recruitment campaign employed the Saltire in the form of a logo; the words "Scottish Infantry. Forward As One." being placed next to a stylised image of the Saltire. For the duration of the campaign, this logo was used in conjunction with the traditional Army recruiting logo; the words "Army. Be The Best." being placed beneath a stylised representation of the Union Flag.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} Despite this multi-media campaign having had mixed results in terms of overall success,<ref>{{cite news | first=Ian | last=Bruce | title=Recruits down 15% as Army severs local links | date=19 September 2007 | publisher=Herald & Times Group | url =http://www.heraldscotland.com/recruits-down-15-as-army-severs-local-links-1.865513 | work=The Herald | access-date = 1 June 2009 }}</ref> the Saltire continues to appear on a variety of Army recruiting media used in Scotland.

Other uses of the Saltire by the Army include the cap badge design of the [[Royal Regiment of Scotland]], which consists of a (silver) Saltire, surmounted by a (gilt) [[lion rampant]] and ensigned with a representation of the [[Crown of Scotland]] (this same design, save for the Crown, is used on both the Regimental flag and [[tactical recognition flash]] of the Royal Regiment of Scotland).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/593DD958-A1EE-4EE1-B1BB-F054822C0810/0/BlackWatch2.JPG |title=MoD image |access-date=2 December 2009 |publisher=MoD |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090806102825/http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/593DD958-A1EE-4EE1-B1BB-F054822C0810/0/BlackWatch2.JPG |archive-date=6 August 2009 }}</ref> The badge of the [[No. 679 (The Duke of Connaught's) Squadron AAC|No. 679 (The Duke of Connaught's) Squadron]] [[Army Air Corps (United Kingdom)|Army Air Corps]] bears a Saltire between two wreaths ensigned 'Scottish Horse', an honour they received in 1971 which originated through their links with the Royal Artillery.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.army.mod.uk/aviation/22432.aspx |title=MoD web page |access-date=3 May 2011 |publisher=MOD |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111126025101/http://army.mod.uk/aviation/22432.aspx |archive-date=26 November 2011 }}</ref> The [[Officer Training Corps]] units attached to universities in Edinburgh and Glasgow, plus the Tayforth University OTC, all feature the Saltire in their cap badge designs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.army.mod.uk/UOTC/5487.aspx |title=MoD web page |access-date=13 September 2011 |publisher=MOD |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903133135/http://www.army.mod.uk/UOTC/5487.aspx |archive-date=3 September 2011 }}</ref>

The [[Fleet Air Arm]] of the [[Royal Navy]] adorned three of their aircraft with the Saltire. Specifically, the [[Westland Sea King]] Mk5 aircraft of [[HMS Gannet|HMS ''Gannet'']], operating in the [[Search and Rescue]] (SAR) role from [[Glasgow Prestwick Airport|Royal Naval Air Station Prestwick]], [[Ayrshire]], displayed a Saltire decal on the nose of each aircraft.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/operations-and-support/fleet-air-arm/sar-operations/hms-gannet/about-us/ |title=MoD web page |access-date=13 September 2011 |publisher=MOD |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101027174415/http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/operations-and-support/fleet-air-arm/sar-operations/hms-gannet/about-us/ |archive-date=27 October 2010 }}</ref>

Although not represented in the form of a flag, the [[No. 602 Squadron RAF|No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron]] of the [[Royal Auxiliary Air Force]] uses the Saltire surmounted by a lion rampant as the device shown on the squadron crest.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bshistorian.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/602sqn1.jpg |title=602sqn image |access-date=2 December 2009 |publisher=The BS Historian }}</ref> The station crest of the former [[RAF Leuchars]], [[Fife]], also showed the Saltire, in this case surmounted by a sword. The crest of the former [[RAF East Fortune]], [[East Lothian]], also showed a sword surmounting the Saltire, however, unlike Leuchars, this sword was shown inverted<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-E.htm | title=RAF Stations – E | access-date=1 December 2010 |publisher=Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation }}</ref> and the station crest of the former [[RAF Turnhouse]], [[Edinburgh]], showed a Saltire surmounted by an eagle's head.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-T.htm | title=RAF Stations – T | access-date=1 December 2010 |publisher=Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation }}</ref> The [[East of Scotland Universities Air Squadron]] crest features a Saltire surmounted by an open book; the book itself being supported by red lions rampant.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/eastofscotlanduas/ |title=East of Scotland Universities Air Sqn |access-date=13 September 2011 |publisher=MOD |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111012070303/http://www.raf.mod.uk/eastofscotlanduas/ |archive-date=12 October 2011 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>