UK defence and law enforcement agencies have been alerted to potential sabotage attempts on multiple Royal Air Force facilities, following reports that the protest group Palestine Action is preparing further incursions.
According to The Daily Sceptic, Telegraph journalists infiltrated a recent online planning meeting in which members allegedly discussed forming autonomous cells to conduct covert actions against defence contractors and military sites.
The discussion reportedly focused on targets including RAF Cranwell and RAF Barkston Heath—two airfields actively involved in the training of Ukrainian pilots on Western fighter aircraft such as the F-16 and Mirage 2000. The same session came days after Palestine Action claimed responsibility for an illegal break-in at RAF Brize Norton, where red paint was sprayed over two Voyager aircraft. That incident is now the subject of a counter-terrorism investigation and prompted a full security review across the defence estate.
While not yet proscribed, the group is widely expected to be designated a terrorist organisation by the Home Secretary. In Parliament, Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard described the Brize Norton attack as “epically stupid” and “a direct attack on our national security.” He added that Palestine Action’s recent activities “meet the threshold set out in the statutory tests established under the Terrorism Act 2000.”
Prominent defence commentators and open-source intelligence accounts have amplified the latest claims. One post from @Osinttechnical highlighted that RAF Cranwell and Barkston Heath—both key to the UK’s pilot training pipeline for Ukraine—had been discussed as targets. Another widely shared post warned of a “wave of attacks on RAF bases across the United Kingdom.”
The Ministry of Defence has not commented directly on the alleged meeting but has confirmed that security has been tightened at multiple sites. Senior officials remain concerned about the growing boldness of direct action tactics against military infrastructure, particularly given the role of UK bases in training and logistics linked to overseas operations.
Effective anti-drone systems are needed desperately, as this could be the weapon of choice. The plane watchers will be livid as viewpoints get roped off and perimeter policing stepped up. Remember the RAF regiments and their Scimitar light tanks, so what has happened to downgraded protection? I guess a lack of money?
A whole array of different measures are required. Anti-drone is merely the latest to be added. Oh and we need them now they won’t wait forever.
The simplest anti-drone measure is to slot the tosser operating it and anyone in close proximity; that does require covert patrolling – chance for the RAFR to refresh their skills and do what they are paid to do.
For the hard of thinking they don’t have the level of sophistication that the UKR have; just shoot them on the spot and save on trials and imprisonment costs.
I don’t think you can go around shooting people for using drones near military bases.. that would be a we bit to much and would be a bot counter productive when the 14 year old who did not even know the base existed gets shot.
It’s also illegal under card A unless you suspect an immediate threat to life. So – suspect it’s an FPV drone with a charge, lethal force is probably permitted. Just a random drone with some paint, or someone with paint – not permitted.
Law on permitted use of force does not allow lethal force to protect equipment.
Question, if a drone is seen carrying a package towards/over a base, is it a threat?
The Ukraine War has clearly shown that a drone is now a very cheap mode of transport to deliver an effect. Be that as a first person view (FPV) suicide drone that contains an explosive and fragmentary charge or a drone used as a bomber to drop grenades etc.
But the War has shown that both sides are now using not just commercially available drones but purpose made suicide drones. Where the warhead is contained within the body. So unless you’re an expert, you won’t be able to tell if it’s just a surveillance drone or a suicide one.
Card Alpha as it’s now known, is part of JSP-398 (UK Manual of National Rules of Engagement). Which governs the legislation of using lethal and non-lethal force for members of the Armed Forces whilst in the UK or abroad.
Critically it gives legal advice on when dealing with individuals who have the intent to do you or your colleagues harm. It says lethal force is not to be used to protect property. However, if be protecting that property you protect other individuals.
A few years ago it was relatively easy. You see a guy loading a mortar, you dropped him. Similarly seeing a guy with some binos and radio/phone, calling down fire, you could drop them. But now we have drone operators? How do you tell if they have intent to do harm? Either someone gets a good look at the drone and perhaps what it is carrying or the drone is actually aimed at someone.
Then there is the issue of kinetically taking it out. Imagine if a MPGS starts firing at a drone. Especially if they don’t have a SMASH sight fitted, they will have a very high chance of missing. Where do the rounds end up?
Perhaps the answer to protect bases from drones attacks could be done by the use of RF jammers forming a protective bubble over a base. Sadly fibre optic controlled drones won’t be affected. So perhaps directed energy weapons (DEW) are the answer. But will the MoD realize that these need to operational 24/7 and pay for it. Failing that there’s always the shotgun.
So I wonder if there will be an amendment to the JSP, as there’s a grey area that needs ratifying when it comes to drones and their operators.
👍 Totally agree
Make use of those spotters.
They are invariably pro armed forces and a tight group.
I used to be one and well remember a day at Manchester airport when an El Al flight was berthed close to the favourite spotting site on the multi story car park. A small crowd of spotters were out but prevented from standing in the closest corner of the roof to the aircraft by a wpc.
There were few objections but people began to grow suspicious of one of our number. He was saying the right things but not acting normal – too excited by mundane aircraft. After the flight departed we spotted him chatting to the wpc. No doubt local SB checking us out, but he stood out a mile to us.
Those groups often know each other and will chat freely to any strangers who show up. Offer them the means to raise any suspicions with base security; use their eyes, ears and intuition.
Used to be done in the Cold War – drive up in a Land Rover with a tea urn in the back. Free tea and digestives = improved base security.
Most people in the UK are loyal and will report suspicious activity. Use them.
That said fences, patrols etc are needed.
RAF bases are a particular problem as they are huge and don’t have the number of people on them that an army or RN base has. You can’t have an engineering bod out on perimeter patrol at night and expect them to be 100% in the day doing critical stuff.
Historically RN had more perimeter security for a variety of reasons [perimeters are often smaller and probed more by criminals looking for scrap etc] and army have the sheer numbers of soldiers to rotate perimeter patrol parties.
A few cheapish drones (maybe £1,000 a pop) with EO/IR can cover a large perimeter on a pre-programmed route. We should have sourced some cheap sovereign drones by now. They may not be as good as patrolling the perimeter in some respects, but they have huge cost and speed advantages. Within a year or two you could even have an AI working out what’s anolomolous and alerting the gate guards, without needing someone to stare at the screens all the time.
True.
Problem is you can’t have them crossing either end of the runway.
There has to be a deconfliction zone when flight ops are live.
So that zone is back to semi physical barriers and fixed surveillance which can also do pattern recognition etc.
Why would you do that when you could have static CCTV and achieve the same thing at lower cost / greater redundancy and no risk of it not being able to fly?
KISS
There’s a British company (SME) that makes some of the world’s best ground surveillance and UAS detection radars used for automated border and perimeter, coastal security in places like the Korean DMZ etc.
https://www.blighter.com/product-categories/radars/
Well worth a look at the capabilities of their products e.g. detection of crawlers.
Every critical MoD base should have one…
A brilliant idea.
I was one, for a time.
To be fair, the RAF Reg Squadrons with Scorpion and some other CVRT were in BAOR, not the UK.
Rephrasing that, in BAORs area, not a part of. 2 ATAF and RAFG.
There were two Squadrons at the RAF Depot Catterick in the late 80’s – I was there. During the 1980s, Catterick was home to the largest UK-based fleet of armoured vehicles in the British forces. The fleet consisted of FV101 Scorpion Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles (CVRT) and FV103 Spartan Armoured Personnel Carriers. Scorpions filled with Warsteiner were a welcome sight on their return from exercises in Germany, especially at Christmas!
And Cyprus
Palestinian Action targeting bases used to Train Ukrainian Pilots can someone please tell what the hell they have in common other than getting bombed ?
If this is true then we know exactly what this group really is, it’s a pro Putin anti west bunch of terrorists, they may not be using bombs but that’s the only thing that makes any sense.
It’s mostly because the old communists never quite got over the fall of the USSR, which supported Palestine back in the cold war, and now have transposed a lot of their USSR beliefs onto Putin’s Russia, even though Russia and the USSR have very little in common.
Yes it is bizarre, but does tell you something about fascism and communism..the fact that a communist state can move to a fascist state and the old communists will still support it.
I suspect there’s a consistent anti-American/anti-Western motivation at the heart of such people.
Why bizarre?
Communists allied with Nazis. Soviets had a friendship treaty with Fascist Italy and naval support from Italy. It bought Taskhent destroyer and NKVD patrol boats in Italy. Of note Taskhent was ordered in 1936 just at start of SCW and handed to the Soviets 1939 at its end.
The last 3,5 years of WW2 brainwashed a lot of people. Nazis(mostly Hitler) hated Communists more than Communists the Nazis.
Ribbentrop wanted Soviet Union in the Axis and Stalin was open to it as long as Soviet “spheres of influence” in Balkans and others places were respected.
From Sir Charles Goodeve (of Hedgehog ASW weapon fame)
‘When work on the gun began at Ruislip, Russia was still an ally of Germany, and Communist agents lost no time in stirring up trouble in the factory. With Ruislip’s not getting under way until the end of 1940, the Oerlikon management could not pick and choose their workers; they had to take on a very mixed bag, among them a number of undesirables already dismissed from other factories. Here was fertile ground for Communist propaganda.
‘Agents were infiltrated into key positions and for some time the shop stewards were able to discover in advance the gist of many decisions taken by the management. This tactic won the Communists much support as champions of their workmates. . . . The spirit in the factory worried Goodeve. With the country fighting for survival, here were British workmen doing their level best to sabotage the war effort. To bring home to the bulk of the men the importance of the Oerlikon he got permission for a sailor who had fired the gun in action to come down to Ruislip and give a talk one day during the lunch break…”
It’s just the fact that essentially the far right and far left end up essentially meeting at a point of similarity.. in reality there is no such thing as a liner continuum of politics.. if anything it’s possibly more like a ring with libertarian at one end, authoritarian at the other and then left and right reaching up either side of the ring and what really matter is how close to either libertarian or authoritarian you are not so much if you are left or right leaning. That’s why I don’t really like it when people call western liberal politicians fascists or communists.. they are not either as long as they put themselves up for fair popular vote and hand over power if they loss… for instance in very left leaning but I’m also very libertarian because I essentially believe in both maximising personal freedoms with ensuring social equality.
the soviets were behind all those nutty anti nuclear groups in the 80s. they’re doing the same thing today. stop oil etc are also controlled by them- all to cause havoc and cost money. saboteurs need to be shot on sight and the government needs to announce immediately that they will begin shooting these idiots if caught on a military base. they’ll stop.
Yes, that is what blows their cover…..
They are not Pro Putin as such, they simply hate the British state and Britains history, specifically the English who are the historical ‘oppressors’ and the ultimate ‘colonisers’. Their view permeates every atom, they see themselves as a new people of this country, and they want the old guard to go, or subdued, along with their history and oppressor tools. Every day new foot soldiers arrive to take this view, mostly foreign students who then don’t leave but others also, and everyday we become weaker.
Yeah, very obvious that they’re Russian inspired. Palestine/Gaza is simply a cover story.
Palestine Gaza is the same logic. They don’t care one iota about Palestinians. If they did they would want Hamas destroyed.
Hamas is a medieval like power that drags the corpses of its opponents on the street.
We’ve bred treasonous ingrates. These Henry’s and Henrietta’s are Hamas’s useful idiots
It’s clear that anyone partaking in sabotage should be shot on site.
A whole array of different measures are required. Anti-drone is merely the latest to be added. Oh and we need them now they won’t wait forever.
This isn’t a serious country anymore.
Each week we see Jew hating foreign nationals protest on our streets, last week one wearing a concentration camp outfit complete with red Hamas star.
None will be deported as the lawfare legal system with allow HRA appeals.
Police , NCA and GCHQ should be able to ID these members even if they use VPN or other methods to conceal themselves.
Mass arrests on conspiracy charges are needed and additional court sessions as used last summer for the riots.
Escalation upto Lethal force should be authorised against anyone stepping over a perimeter of a military airfield.
We can’t go on being a laughing stock.
I’m not an Israeli hater, but, I’m not an ultra Jew fan. What the Israeli State run by Zionists and get out of jail free Benji are doing is committing genocide, it is abhorrent in the extreme.
Bear in mind that there are Palestinians Christians in there suffering the same treatment.
No, the Zionist State needs to be called out and there should be no aid civilian or military, no purchases allowed to that State be they civilian or military until it changes direction.
The IDF gave notice to which suburbs were going to be targeted. The fact Hamas chooses to sit amongst civilians in those areas is why there are casualties..
The same Hamas who said they want to repeat 7/10 again and again.
The same Hamas who spent tens of billions in aid on weapons..
The same Gaza where people visited on holiday.
If an enemy wanted to exterminate me, I would kill.yhat enemy..
The Hamas leadership are safely tucked up in Qatar..They could end it in a day by stating they would cease all hostility to Israel..
The Hamas figures on casualties are not feasible. The propaganda output is laughable..
If the IDF wanted.to wipe out every Palestinian it could, the fact is has not shows this is no genocide.
David they have essentially flattened the entire infrastructure that supports the lives of millions of people.. they have not discriminated. At the same time the Israeli governments support of ultra right wing settlers on the west back had no justification.
They had justification at the beginning, but they have no clear end game, no goal other than the amorphous “ destruction of Hamas” and you will not destroy Hamas by dropping more bombs on a pile of rubble.
Hamas are an evil that need dealing with, but the present actions of Israeli in the West Bank and Gaza are going to stretch the David accorded and Putins Isreal at long term existential risk.
There was a very good article in the Jerusalem post..about the very significant increase in tension with Egypt ( there has been a significant increase in militarisation of the boarder as a well as an Egypt soldier getting killed in an exchange of fire). There is significant destabilisation risk in Jordan and Israel has already sent a warning to the new Syrian government saying they will strike at Syria if there is any indication of harm to the Syrian Druze population. All in all if isreals neighbours are pushed in the wrong direction there will be even greater issues.
You used the word “Zionists” and in the last paragraph you call for Israel to be sanctioned, so you are very much anti Israel.
As for the Gaza Christians:
There are less than 600 of them left. Hamas has persecuted them and let all sorts of crimes to be committed against them with no retribution, even going as far as desecrating Christian graves because “Unbelievers don’t belong on Palestinian soil”.
Google “Christians in Gaza” You will see this abuse is well reported
This is just an observation however current day Israel was surely born out of ashes of N*zi Germany and the international law of the day which could not defend them. Clearly when surrounded by countries which hate them and could (and probably want to) crush them it is easy to see why they reacted (perhaps overreacted) the way they have done. In their minds I suspect ensuring their own self defence has become paramount. In my opinion Israel would be wise to rescue the Women and young children of palestine. I also note that Israel seemed to target genuine Iranian military targets. Let’s hope that everyone can return to peace and Iran give up their Nuclear ambition and decide on a friendly path. If Iran get nuke it is not going to end well for them.
“I’m not an Israeli hater”
Yes you are. Zionism is what made modern Israel.
” get out of jail free Benji are doing is committing genocide”
I see that for you UK/Allies committed genocide in WW2 too.
They killed much more percentage of German population and this with Hamas numbers.
My main issue is I think they are now stretching well into in we don’t really know what to do to finish it incompetence to be honest and I think it’s endangering Isreal.. because Isreal actually needs a bit of regional stability to deal with its core security issues.. in the end is smashed Hamas into a fragment of what it was..essentially the IDF has probably killed around 20,000 of Hamas fighters.. it’s not really going to be able to reduce the final fragment by bombing..it’s going to have to have an end game.. that is not just turning rubble into finer rubble.
You mentioned the allies.. yep they blew the everloving shit out of Germany and even allied nations, but and this a a big ass but, they had an end game… my question is what is the IDFs end game, because if they keep on doing what they are doing, they are burning international political capital, burning the David accords all strategically important and at the same time getting less and less tactical gain for the strategic loss.
At some point Isreal needs to indicate what it’s end game and the end state will look like.. before it ends up either at war with Egypt and the wider Middle East or Jordan falls to religious extremists due to local tension ( and Iranian political warfare).. either way Isreal does not want to be back with more direct enemies on its doorstep.
The end game of WW2 was unconditional surrender. That or else if Germany tried to play any game they would be just killed and any city with resistance would be under siege without food and energy. That is why Werewolf resistance stopped fast.
Lets also remember the Morgenthau plan that German was to be an agrarian society only.
But Cold War need an industrial West Germany and Ludwig Erhard stopped price controls and other dirigiste silliness put on by military authorities and that started the destroyed Germany to be a richer country than UK just in 15-20 years.
Israel just a couple days ago destroyed a 2.5 km Hamas tunnel.
Do you think Bomber Command was pulling its punches in 1943? Did 617 Squadron warn the Third Reich they’d be attacking the dams before they hit it? Did they lob roof-knockers on Berlin and wait for people to get out before dropping bombs?
What about Hamas, are they obeying the rules of war? Are they dressing in uniforms so that their own civilians don’t get targeted?
Just because the Lord Haw-Haws of the 21st century sling around the big bad “G”-word you buy it instantly without critically analysing the claim.
I think you’ve lost the plot on just what a war constitutes. Even at its best it’s nasty and brutal, but it must be fought all the same, because holding a trial before every bullet fired is not going to win the war. And yet all this is still a sight less nasty and brutal than October 7, which is the fate that awaits Israelis if they lose. You might want to think about that while your heart is busy bleeding for the people who cheered that on.
Hope the buggers in charge are seriously manning those fences! Time for a “security audit” across all bases and ports?
Quentin, that security review is in hand.
Security review against a bunch of guys in electric scooters. These guys were not speznatz…
What you need is a martial court.
More spray paint and scooters coming your way. 🤣
To deal with these scumbags, SHOOT TO KILL or very vicious alsatian dogs ,make it clear and send a message, cross the line YOU GET A ONE WAY TRIP TO THE NEXT WORLD 🌎 😉 😀
We are by nature a fair minded Nation and should set out our stall clearly, forcefully and publicly so that no one has any doubts whatsoever. It’s called Information and a Fair warning.
Blitz TV, Radio, Social Media with the truth, there are Israeli companies who have premises in this country, that’s part of the global economy. But the U.K. has no part whatsoever in the Israeli / Palestine issue and as such nor do out Military. Feel free to peacefully protest about what ever you want but be aware a line has now been drawn.
From now on if you unlawfully enter UK Government / Military establishments that will be considered as an act of Terrorism and the use of Deadly force is Authorised !
I would agree with you 100%. Protest but protest peacefully with harming people or our defensive infrastructure.
Sorry typo WITHOUT HARMING
I don’t really have a problem with hairy arsed protesters.. even waving banners at gates and getting in peoples faces. As long as they don’t damage anything or prevent a critical action from occurring.
This does sound like a job for things that go woof, growl, bite
Anyone intruding should be shot on sight. No ifs buts or excuses from apologists.
Well considering I know for a fact some very drunk sailors have been found in some odd places on some RN establishments randomly shooting people creates issue.. infact shooting any weapon creates massive issues.. as essentially you shot and miss a round may travel a couple of miles before being stopped by the ground or some random person sleeping in their bed. Shoot on sight is not a very good idea I’m afraid.. even armed police when faced with an armed assailant give a warning.
The first mistake starts right away by calling this a “protest” by the media. I am sure if this was done to a journalist, or journalist office would not be called a protest.
And what is difference between protest and harassment and an attack against civil rights?
Well essentially with article 10 and 11 of the human rights act..we can assemble and express any view as long as it’s peaceful assembly and not expressing a view around causing harm to to others.. essentially anyone should be allowed to assemble in a public place and wave a placard.. they are not allowed to intimidate or damage property.. if you intimidate or damage property your not protesting any more your breaking the law.
You know very well this is not true
“if you intimidate (….) your not protesting any more your breaking the law.”
Intimidation is perfectly allowed by police in UK if you belong to the correct groups.
RAF Cranwell and RAF Barkston Heath.
Not good, the latter especially one could literally walk right in in places, and an old Roman road runs right alongside it, that is now the B6403, up to Ancaster.
It is as open as a MoD installation could be.
A seriously soft target.
Barkston has mostly contractors involved in the EFT stage.
Cranwell, too, in places, but has more secure areas of the station away from the airfield side.
Back in the 1970s Victor Tanker era, Mareham was open. Hope its changed now?
Well parts of the admin side of the station might be more accessible, but that goes for most places.
Ops side, Marham has HAS Complexes now, and a Special Storage Area to the SW, double or triple fenced, lit, with dead zones in-between surveilled with cameras.
Like that at Honington, let’s see these criminals try to get in there.
In the Cold War the HAS complexes were isolated in war from the rest of the station, surrounded by wire, had blast shelters, briefing areas, parts hidden in small woods, and so on. Crew could be moved in Saracen Armoured vehicles as they were worried about Spetznatz attack.
This needs to be re learned I fear in many places.
It used to be open, like many RAF Stations, through the married quarters/residential areas. I hope that is fixed for all operational stations.
Yes, all aircrew also now need to be very cautious. Funny things could start happening as per Putin’s playbook.
(Sky’s WAR GAME podcast illustrates the ease of taking out the crew rather than the aircraft …ditto for subs and warships.) I hope the MoD/Gov have got a plan…
If the military cant defend their own bases then what can they defend?
We’re going to need to find some particularly harsh and significantly brutal aspect of military law or the Treason Act to employ against these activists.
These kids are too stupid to to realise they are stupid. They are spoilt children who have never encountered any sort of constraint in their lives.
We’re going need to introduce them to constraint and we may have to do that by introducing appalling life consequences to those who advocate attacking the power of the Crown.
This may be extraordinarily long prison sentences, massive fines, loss of government job, revocation of student loans, revocation of visas and deportation. The consequences of sabotage need to so terrifyingly bad that even the dumbest of vapid soy boys or posh girl socialists wouldn’t even dream of doing it.
While I agree,there is no chance in hell anything like what you describe will happen!
Don’t forget all of the people ( senior officers included ) in ‘charge’ went to the same universities basically at the same time together,
they have all been exposed to this liberal British bashing bollocks! Is it no wonder not one of them will actually make a decision that will change anything😡
The left would be wailing from the rooftops, and HMG wouod back down in the furore spread by channel 4, the Guardian, Independent, and elements of the BBC.
The PM himself defended such people once. Interesting that little titbit isn’t receiving more publicity.
The PM was a barrister, Daniele. Barristers defend whoever they are told to (the ‘cab-rank’ principle), and anyone tried in this country is entitled to a full defence under the law. That is a key component of the British culture that people on this board claim they want to defend. Its not a titbit, it’s an attempt to smear a public servant for doing a previous job to the best of their ability. Barristers have to defend people they may not like, just as doctors have to treat people regardless of how they feel about them.
As for calling for draconian treatment for Palestine Action, I fear that will backfire massively. It won’t just be the ‘left’, public opinion will quickly turn in favour of any group seen to be getting bullied by the state, especially if that group doesn’t hurt anybody or threaten to do so. We may regard them as doing the enemy’s work, but there are plenty who will not see it our way and regard it as more-or-less legitimate protest, however misguided. The solution to this problem is to trivialise such groups by starving them of notoriety, while rapidly pulling out our collective fingers to put base security at the level it should be. I grew up in an Army family in a garrison town in the 80s, and the thought of unauthorised people getting into a military base gives me the willies. The IRA were a hell of a lot scarier than Palestine Action.
Hi Matt.
Fair enough, and points taken re Starmer, I just found it ironic.
Like I said to you, assuming you were the same Matt, on another thread somewhere, a balance is needed in all things.
We are too far on the weak side at present.
Just shooting would cause uproar, and play into opponents hands. For me, it depends on where they infiltrate and what damage they do.
This is sabotage and being too lenient will not act as a deterrent.
Putting base security higher as you rightly say I fear would be economically unfeasible, this government don’t want to spend a penny extra than they have to.
That is not correct, i am sure Starmer would make every effort to not defend a right winger.
You’re still beating this naive shtick, eh Matt?
“The solution to this problem is to trivialise such groups by starving them of notoriety”
This conception gets so many things wrong. Showing leniency for acts of sabotage doesn’t trivialise the group/people that do the acts, it legitimizes the act, and by extension validates the group by tacitly acknowledging that these acts ‘work’. This emboldens the perpetrators to ramp up their acitivites and take greater risks – if you give room to motivated people they will move into it, and start testing the new boundaries you just surrendered to them. It would be a shocking and counter productive display of state weakness to try and brush something like this under the rug – they are serious crimes, and should be taken seriously, not by being aloof.
People like this must be dealt with through clear communication – ‘here is the line, as written in law – if you step over this line, these are the consequences’, and consistent enforcement – ‘you stepped over the line, you knew what you were doing, and what the consequences would be, enjoy a decade in prison’.
It’s really quite a simple calculus that works with any trainable creature – dogs, children, citizens. It works better with people than dogs because people can talk to each other, and also learn by watching what others do and what happens next. This is literally one of the necessary conditions for ‘effective deterrent’.
Clueless virtue signallers.
They should be made to live for 6 months on the roughest of council estates, it will teach them that human nature is the real problem. maybe then they will understand why we need tough laws and strong armed forces.
Secondly, make them take a long good look at middle-east / Islamic history and how the world came to have 57 Muslim majority countries
and why there are barely any Jewish people left in North Africa and the middle-east outside of Israel (systematic persecution).
Cog… defending an RAF airbase against intruders is incredibly hard. I believe the perimeter is in excess of 5 miles.
Seemingly MoD has never funded full security fencing which is outrageous. But even high-security fences need watching by CCTV etc. Every inch…no gaps. I remember the days on army bases when soldiers would patrol the perimeter in pairs equipped with pick axe helves and with radios…and rifle-armed lads on the gate with MoD civvies (MGS?) doing the pass-checking. In the era of the NI ‘Troubles’ and the threat from Irish Republican paramilitaries.
Fast forward to today and it is all rather different with MGS pass checkers backed by MPGS who are armed only with holstered pistols and who don’t seem to do mobile patrols.
Most RAF Stations, the exception being RAF Fylingdales, who have MDP, indeed have MPGS.
Some RAF Stations also have a Det of an RAF Police Squadron, which geographically are spread wide but are mainly at the MOBs like Brize, Coningsby, Lossi, Marham.
And MGS at the gate as you say.
Photos of MPGS I see have the personnel with SA80. Some Dets even use MWD, like at Wattisham.
Well they have talked about a volunteer force..this is exactly what you could use that force for..creating essentially a volunteer infrastructure protection force.. you could even give them Warrant powers in the same way special constables have.. to deal with base intrusion or damage to infrastructure.
I would suggest some none lethal force as part of the arrest, it’s amazing what a bit of CS gas in the face will do as a don’t do it again deterred.
Palestine Action has raised £130,000 to fund a legal fight with the government.
I also note some stupid memes on social media “I painted something red, therefore I am a terrorist”.
People forget vandalism of property is still a crime, vandalism of military equipment is sabotage, and should be punished as treason.
The excuse is they are preventing “Genocide”, not only is this untrue (No RAF involvement) but that word is being grossly misused.
Seriously George, you’re quoting “The Daily Sceptic”?? A known disinformation and conspiracy theory blog published by a eugenicist.
A sad, new low for UK Defence Journal.
“Nope, no two tier policing here”
– Labour, 2025
Ironic really, RAF assets have no offensive involvement in Gaza. Pro-Palestine sabotage action against the RAF using Palestine as a reason is either misinformed or using it as cover for firth columnist activities, They would be more justified in attacking USAF assets in Bentwaters or Mildenhall. Remember, ignorance is no defence in law. Incidentally, on Flightaware24 I saw a Royal Navy drone in position off the coast of Israel a few days ago. Does that mean the RN are drawn into surveilance activities of the conflict in Gaza?
Bentwaters closed over 30 years ago. Do you mean Lakenheath?
I find it difficult to understand this. An known organisation, in the UK actively threatening UK military bases and for a while now the govt has being say that one day they will be proscribed. Why not right now! Like yesterday! And we know the founders. Why haven’t they been arrested? Human rights?? I’ve lived in many countries around the world and in Europe and none of them would be hand wringing about this, and articles like this one wouldn’t be need to be written. It would have been sorted the day after the Brize attack. Only in the UK. Eh!
Because we’ve always resisted authoritarianism/ fascism. To ban an organisation requires approval by Parliament, to ensure it’s a power that can’t be misused by an extremist Government. (Shame the USA doesn’t have that separation of powers…)
The proscription order will be laid in Parliament on Monday 30 June
As for arrests, they were made yesterday for the Brize Norton incident.
Next they need to step up defences at all military establishments and for critical infrastructure.
Thanks for the response and glad to know something will be done. But you say next they need to step up defences at all military establishments etc. How? Have you tried to defend a large RAF base. I have. With pick axe handles issued to us! Against the IRA, then against Muslim extremists in the gulf wars. It was a farce. And with rules of engagement that meant you couldn’t do anything anyway if you did find someone. Otherwise it will cost millions of taxpayer money to defend these huge areas. I still maintain it is far better to be totally brutal and cheaper, to crack down hard on anyone trying it on in the first place to deter others. Otherwise you are in a for a never-ending very expensive time.
Replaces fences with a double-wall around entire perimeter. Motion, sensors, and cameras for the space between – feed to AI to for analysis and threat recognition. Patrols on quad bikes, armed with batons, pepper-spray, tazers and side-arms. Dog units.
Will cost money, but less than repairing/replacing stuff lost in an attack.
Any change of command etc been announced yet or are we still in the ‘lessons will be learned’ stage?
This was a serious lapse of security. If personell are too few, that’s a disgrace & deriliction of duty. Base perimeters should be secure & frequently patrolled, armed watchtowers, CCTV, detectors & a rapid reaction platoon on standby. Actual aircraft & installations etc need guards. Next time it could be far worse than paint. Heads should roll. I’d start with Cameon & Osbourne for cutting beyond reason.
Welp, they have Parliamentary and Government support, so there.
Honestly, someone from the Armed Forces should say a word about that. If I were Crab I’d be fuming if no one stuck up publicly for the RAF.
I was under the impression that the Country was on a War Footing would that not clear up any confusion about shooting any Intruders
Why is it that in any other country, you’d be shot on sight for entering a military complex yet, here in the UK mobs can just walk in and cause millions of pounds worth of damage or at the very least be conducting meetings planning to infiltrate such places, it really does beggar belief that Mi5 and GCHQ are not infiltrating these groups sooner and with increasing force. We are fast becoming a laughing stock that is beginning to look increasingly like dads army instead of the world class military forces we are told we have and are paying through he nose for!
Fine any individual or group protesting that cause damage, the full cost of repairs/renewal. That will put a stop to the casual stuff. Simples.