A significant security assessment has been called throughout the military bases within the United Kingdom after a devastating breach was successfully confounded at RAF Brize Norton where pro-Palestinian activists had sneaked into the base to vandalize the military installation by red-painting airplanes.
The accident that took place in the early hours of Friday morning has left people with a big question mark on the kind of security that surrounds one of the most important airbases in the country. RAF Brize Norton is the strategic airlift and aerial refuelling centre of the Royal Air Force and is the key unit in the UK military logistics to the rest of the world.
Two people, who are said to have been members of the activist group Palestine Action, are said to have entered the base in Oxfordshire unlawfully. One of the activists was filmed in the footage released by the group on social media where he was riding on a scooter towards stationary Voyager aircraft and spraying red paint directly into the engine through a repurposed fire extinguisher. They also were seen to have been roaming freely with cameras around restricted areas of the base.
The security breach at Brize Norton is absolutely staggering.
Given the current heightened global tensions, the increase in activity and the recent exploitation of the vulnerability of Russian airbases by Ukraine, it is incredible that our busiest RAF base could be compromised. pic.twitter.com/jdk9IYCP6T
— Ben Obese-Jecty MP (@BenObeseJecty) June 20, 2025
Whereas the ongoing protests have self-refuted that the air-to-air refuelling tankers have already been made inoperable, the RAF engineers are as yet examining the planes so as to determine any operational repercussions. The defence sources said there are no reported interruptions to flights and missions as yet.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer decried the violation terming it as a dangerous and a disgrace act of vandalism and demanded accountability at once. John Healey the Defence Secretary echoed this and instituted an audit of the security on all military locations within the country.
The investigation is being led by police of Thames Valley and South East Counter Terrorism Unit. Police affirmed that reports of criminal damage had been made and that efforts are still underway to identify and apprehend all the affected individuals. More arrests have since been increased, increasing the number of those in custody to six.
Key Points from the Incident:
- Location: RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire
- Target: Voyager aircraft, part of the RAF’s strategic refuelling fleet
- Damage: Red paint sprayed into engines; further damage using crowbars was alleged by activists
- Perpetrators: Members of Palestine Action
- Security: The base is equipped with fences, surveillance systems, and manned checkpoints, but the incident has highlighted critical blind spots
Although the activists are claiming that these planes are operating in Gaza to support Israeli or US armed forces, according to the Ministry of Defence sources, it was clear that the Voyager group of aircraft is mainly based in Iraq and Syria as they mainly do refueling services on the RAF typhoon airplanes in the fight against terrorism. They have not been set up to accommodate Israeli or US air forces and this was further echoed by Air Marshal (Retd.). Talking about false assumptions, Greg Bagwell claimed that the activists had aimed the wrong aircraft.
The breach also sparked political reaction across the spectrum. According to conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, the act is a form of criminality which is politically instigated and people should never live with groups whom she termed as extremist. In the meantime, the ex-chief of the Navy Lord West claimed that the scenario is deeply concernful as such break-ins pose a threat to the national security of the country.
Charlie Maynard (Local MP) was critical of the actions of the activists and asked that a full investigation be conducted on how the breach took place described it as stupid and dangerous. Minister of Shadow Armed Forces Mark Francois said the question must be answered by the Ministry of Defence as to why security would have lapsed at a military base of such a high profile.
Palestine Action has a background of direct action on defence related targets. The group had also taken credit in May in vandalizing a US military plane in Ireland. The statement issued by the group after the Brize Norton event criticized the UK government of being directly involved in the current conflict in Gaza, claiming that the UK government still offered logistical assistance to Israeli troops and surveilled them in alliance with them regardless of official government policies.
Security in the military bases in the UK is the subject of focus as more arrests are done and investigations proceed. It is not confirmed whether there will be further subsequent security upgrades by the Ministry of Defence, but there are indications that certain measures will be in place to add on perimeter and surveillance cover.
