The British Ministry of Defence has denied a claim by the DUP that the Royal Irish Regiment is to be disbanded within five years.
A DUP member claimed this evening that there was an internal document allegedly dealing with planned redundancy packages for RIR members.
Mr Sammy Wilson said a timetable had been drawn up for the phased disbandment of all three Home Service battalions by 2008.
Mr Wilson claimed the Royal Irish Regiment was being sacrificed in return for IRA disarmament.
Despite British Government denials that the unit is to be scrapped to help rescue the Northern Ireland peace process, unionists still insist plans are at an advanced stage.
Their fury centres on an internal document allegedly dealing with redundancy packages which sets out pension levels far below those offered to police officers.
Mr Wilson said: "More than 3,000 army personnel are being thrown on the scrapheap to try and persuade the Provos to do what it has been promising to do for the last eight years."
Military authorities have already accepted the three home service battalions will go once the security normalisation has been achieved in Northern Ireland.
They stressed, however, a date will not be fixed until all threat of paramilitary violence is lifted.
Mr Wilson claimed a deal to disband the Home Service in three phases between 2005 and 2008 has been done. The British government plans to cut troop levels in Northern Ireland from 14,000 to 5,000 once the IRA has declared its war is over.
Army chiefs fearing a mass exodus have also rejected transfer requests from senior officers attempting to quit the Royal Irish as morale plunges, Mr Wilsonclaimed.
Any disbandment would not include the General Service battalion which fought in the Gulf War under the command of Colonel Tim Collins.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman tonight categorically denied the allegations.
He said: "The continued existence of the Royal Irish is fundamental to the provision of military aid to the civil power in Northern Ireland.
"No decision has been taken to disband the Royal Irish and nor is there any timetable for that."