The Ministry of Defence has tightened security across the defence estate following what Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard described as “illegal entry and criminal vandalism” by members of Palestine Action at RAF Brize Norton last week.
In a statement to the House of Commons, Pollard confirmed that “two RAF Voyager aircraft were damaged by paint,” but emphasised that “there was no further damage to infrastructure or assets, nor has there been any impact on planned operations from Brize Norton.”
He condemned the incident in the strongest terms, stating: “Not only was this action epically stupid, it was a direct attack on our national security.” He praised the personnel based at Brize Norton, calling them “totally dedicated and professional,” and noted their key role in “supporting our armed forces deployed across the world, delivering military assistance to Ukraine, and flying humanitarian aid into Gaza.”
“This action does nothing to further the path to peace,” he told MPs. “It does nothing to further the Palestinian cause. It does nothing to further any cause. Everyone across the House is united in condemning it. This must never happen again.”
Pollard said he had spoken with the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Chief of the Air Staff about the incident and outlined the measures now in place. “Enhanced security measures across the whole of defence have been put in place since Friday, including on aircraft and airfield-operating surfaces,” he said. “RAF patrols have increased, physical security has been improved at the suspected point of entry at Brize Norton, and the Defence Secretary has ordered that a full security review be conducted at pace, not only at Brize but across the defence estate.”
The investigation is now being led by Counter Terrorism Policing South East and Thames Valley Police. “We will continue to work with the police and pursue those responsible for this unacceptable act of vandalism,” said Pollard. “This incident is subject to a live counter-terrorism investigation, so I hope the House will understand that I cannot provide any further details at this time.”
He warned that the actions of Palestine Action had escalated: “This is more than just disruption. Palestine Action’s activity has increased in frequency and severity. Its methods have become more aggressive, with its members demonstrating a willingness to use violence.”
Pollard concluded with a significant announcement: “Its activities meet the threshold set out in the statutory tests established under the Terrorism Act 2000, and that is why the Home Secretary is today announcing that she intends to proscribe Palestine Action.”
Responding from the Opposition front bench, Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge welcomed the government’s condemnation of the incident but criticised the description of it as mere vandalism. “Let me say what the Minister was unable to: the attack on RAF Brize Norton was not vandalism; this was sabotage, undertaken without regard to the consequences for our Royal Air Force and our ability to defend our nation,” he said. “As a result, there must be consequences for those responsible.”
Cartlidge also demanded answers on how such a breach was allowed to occur. “Can the Minister explain how on earth these saboteurs were able not only to break through the perimeter fence, but to cover a considerable distance to reach the precious airfield tarmac, inflict damage to our airframes and then get out of the base, all without being intercepted?”
He pressed for immediate and wide-ranging improvements to security: “What steps is he taking to ensure rapid reinforcement of perimeter and internal fencing, not just at the specific point of incursion at Brize Norton, as he describes, but throughout the base and at all other UK bases? What is he doing to ensure sufficient military policing personnel are in place to enforce security and that they have access to effective countermeasure technology?”
Cartlidge’s remarks reflect wider concern in Parliament that the incident reveals deeper vulnerabilities in base security at a time when the UK’s armed forces remain heavily committed both abroad and at home.
Go on Street view. Dozens of places with minimal fencing, or a nice big tree to use to help get over said fence, at various defence sites.
One location I’ve seen has what looks more like a wooden garden fence in one section.
It is down to HMG and funding. Have a look what is around Aldermaston, Burghfield, and Coulport. It is possible, with the will, funding, and operational priority to secure a location.
You would think there would be some employment of electronic detection methods around the fences.
I, somewhat naively, thought that standard at MOBs and other critical sites.
Obviously not?
What is the date of the streetview images? I’ve been round and some date back 2012.
Obviously not all will be the same. Just the areas I have looked around.
I don’t recall, I’m sorry. I’ve been studying our infrastructure for decades though, so with SV and GE over many years so dates, I guess will vary if it is updated.
If you’ve been studying it for decades you’re probably the counter terrorism watchlist. I’d order a new front door if I was you!
Ha.
I’ve been stopped by MDP a few times and asked many FOIA requests. And I post here under my name.
So i’m open with nothing to hide.
Hardly watchlist material.
If there’s any CT list, I won’t be on it, as I’m open in my research.
That isn’t any offence and any fool can see I’m loyal to my nation.
Not a worry for me.
“We” often hang monkey like from the fences there, Nickons in hand, waving to the Pilots. The Yanks up the road love it and put on a proper set of “Maveric waves” and hand jestures.
“Yee Harrr, great balls of fire”.
ANd the anti drone plan?
Also this should be treated more seriously. Its not simple vandalism. Its sabotage of UK defence capability. If the culprits are ever caught a suitable prison sentence is required. Starting at a 10yr stretch
A long prison sentence sentence – while maybe satisfying for us – will just make them martyrs, and an appealing high-profile example for other nitwits to follow. Much better to downplay it in the public domain and deny them the notoriety, while working hard to make sure this sort of incursion can’t happen again. We need to make them trivial, not famous.
Bollocks. A minimum 10 year sentence is a worthy lesson for the coffee shop revolutionaries, and a deterrence for others. It absolutely should NOT be played down. They might raise a glass to their so called martyrs in private, but when push comes to shove, few will risk a decade behind bars.
The perimeter defences are on aspect but there is so much more than can and should be done PDQ.
Firstly MI5 and MI6 need to really refocus their energies within the internal pressure and campaign groups and weed out the bad eggs there- those groups that advocate direction action are a direct threat and need to be monitored or, as in PA proscribed as terrorist organisations.
Secondly the internal fanatics funding needs to be traced back- they are funded directly from foreign states, radicalised individuals or known terrorist groups- often through very well shielded and murky routes of funding.
Thirdly the base security isnt just the perimeter fence there needs to be concentric rings of defence. Outer perimeter- robust defence
Outer to inner perimeter- rolling patrols and armed sruveillance- thats dogs, armed personnel, armed drones- with clear signage stop and shoot is in place
We need to leverage our technological edge here to have a very robust outer to inner perimeter.
Inner perimeter with rapid reaction force of armed personnel and dogs and drones- if we had armed drones at Brize Norton those individuals would not have escaped scot free.
Rolling internalised patrols 24/7 of armed personnel and guard dogs to stop and search anyone acting suspiciously or approaching an area they shouldn’t be.
GBAD- needs sorting out PDQ- radar guided guns such as bofors 40mm, phalanx, CT40 etc and land ceptor missile batteries are needed to cover all primary military sites PDQ- this should fall under the UOR and be manned by either the RAF regiment or reallocate army units to undertake the role (if that means an uptick in the British army or RAF regiment by a few thousand personnel- that would be a very sensible decision.- if the Brize Norton attack had been prosecuted by foreign agents they could easily have done as Ukraine have done and parked a truck load of armed drones outside and delivered a swarm of drones into the base unmolested and destroyed the entirety of the UK tanker and air transport fleets.
I’m sure the military don’t need my involvement but I would happily volunteer to inspect the UK’s bases and walk the entirety of the perimeters and internally to advise on beefing up security to the point its much harder for anyone to breach into key areas. I’d happily do this for free!
Yes but we are an island!no one could possibly get near enough to attack us! Mmm or could they?🤔
Putting fences up isn’t that hard. IRL it isn’t that expensive either. Except by the time they are MILSPEC’d and MOD purchased they will cost 10x any credible figures.
RAF have always resisted inner perimeters on the basis of the needs for gates and control points. That said it could be done with sensors and digitally these days.
The bigger problem is making them ram proof as the Israelis found out a JCB is pretty effective at getting through a fence. Even a very good fence. Around a lot of areas a simple drainage style ditch would do the job fine.
You can’t have a moat at the end of the runway as it is an emergency crash out point.
Latest counter “Terorist E scooter” “E scooters” are to be deployed using “Towed Array Dragonfires”. It is hoped the threats will soon melt away.
“E’s frying tonight”.
Most of this will, again, come down to money. Put more in, get more out. It’s what nearly every commentator has been saying since 2010. The chickens are coming home to roost.
“A bird in the hand is better than one on Higher perches ” “too many baskets, not enough eggs”, ” the cock that crows”.
you get my drift.
My first thought was, I really do wonder how close these stupid idiots were to being shot? Second was…..you don’t wanna know!🤬🕳️👋.
Oh no, they’re deploying a REVIEW, Putin will be shaking in his boots
The Hague summit declaration
We, the Heads of State and Government of the North Atlantic Alliance, have gathered in The Hague to reaffirm our commitment to NATO, the strongest Alliance in history, and to the transatlantic bond. We reaffirm our ironclad commitment to collective defence as enshrined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty – that an attack on one is an attack on all. We remain united and steadfast in our resolve to protect our one billion citizens, defend the Alliance, and safeguard our freedom and democracy.
United in the face of profound security threats and challenges, in particular the long-term threat posed by Russia to Euro-Atlantic security and the persistent threat of terrorism, [ ] Allies commit to invest 5% of [ ] GDP annually on core defence requirements as well as defence-and security-related spending by 2035 to ensure our individual and collective obligations, in accordance with Article 3 of the Washington Treaty. Our investments will ensure we have the forces, capabilities, resources, infrastructure, warfighting readiness, and resilience needed to deter and defend in line with our three core tasks of deterrence and defence, crisis prevention and management, and cooperative security.
Allies agree that this 5% commitment will comprise two essential categories of defence investment. [ ] Allies will allocate at least 3.5% of GDP annually based on the agreed definition of NATO defence expenditure by 2035 to resource core defence requirements, [ ] and to meet the NATO Capability Targets. Allies agree to submit annual plans showing a credible, incremental path to reach this goal. And [ ] Allies will account for up to 1.5% of GDP annually to inter alia protect our critical infrastructure, defend our networks, ensure our civil preparedness and resilience, unleash innovation, and strengthen our defence industrial base. The trajectory and balance of spending under this plan will be reviewed in 2029, in light of the strategic environment and updated Capability Targets. Allies reaffirm their enduring sovereign commitments to provide support to Ukraine, whose security contributes to ours, and, to this end, will include direct contributions towards Ukraine’s defence and its defence industry when calculating Allies’ defence spending.
We reaffirm our shared commitment to rapidly expand transatlantic defence industrial cooperation and to harness emerging technology and the spirit of innovation to advance our collective security. We will work to eliminate defence trade barriers among Allies and will leverage our partnerships to promote defence industrial cooperation.
We express our appreciation for the generous hospitality extended to us by the Kingdom of the Netherlands. We look forward to our next meeting in Türkiye in 2026 followed by a meeting in Albania.
This was leaked earlier. The only difference from the one I saw yesterday is:
“The trajectory and balance of spending under this plan will be reviewed in 2029, **in light of the strategic environment** and updated Capability Targets.”
**in light of the strategic environment** A way to get Spain onboard that gives them a get out clause?
There is no need for additional personnel at most bases just give those day workers extra duties covering such needs, after all they get paid 24/7 and for most in the light blue ‘service’ most need to step up (exercise would most likely do them good too) as those in the dark blue do keeping their assets safe and secure. Simples.
“most need to step up”, “just give them extra duties” – the majority are doing all the work with 60% of the manpower, and it’s a lot easier to stop people getting onto a little boat than it is to monitor an entire airfield.
And where did you get the figure of 60%? Sorry that is tosh and service personnal should expect to be doing extra as we do in the RN. A Ships security is with armed sentries 24/7 along side so if they can do it so can the RAF. Excuses for the weak and from those that haev never had to step up!
From living it. I am doing my job, a Cpls job, my Chief’s job, plus providing support to the station VAHS team. So go fuck yourself with your “never had to step up” bullshit. Now toddle off back to your boat
It is evident that a small dedicated team of specialists could ground the RAF very quickly. Without tankers, most of the other aircraft are of limited use and we only have 14.
“Enhanced security measures are now in place! We we now making sure the MOD plod and RAF Reg stay awake at night” TBH those clowns at Palestine Craptiion have done the MOD a favour by waking them up to the perilous state of military base security! Never mind Spetnatz and or drones, we cannot protect them from sad middle class white kids and brainwashed new arrivals!