Brize "attack"

Recent events at Brize Norton have prompted me to highlight the dangers of false confidence in security processes and procedures. I don’t want to jump on the accusation band wagon and media flurry, yes, it is embarrassing that this could happen, but the key thing is that we learn from the incident.

So, what can we learn from this? No doubt a number of issues will arise, but from my experience of doing both physical and cyber security assessments I know one thing for certain, over confidence in your security will only lead to embarrassment. If someone tells you that it “is not possible” to enter this Site/Building/Room/System etc then be very wary.

Let’s take a perimeter fence for example, we put a fence around an area and place razor wire on the top. Does that stop someone getting inside the enclosed area? No. A fence is a deterrent, the better the fence, the better the deterrent but it still won’t stop a determined attack. That said, to a law-abiding person, a fence looks imposing and gives a sense of security. It is this false perception of security that is dangerous.

How do you overcome this false sense of security? Test your security. Many organisations now conduct regular vulnerability assessments on their information systems, the value in this is understood. Do the same for your physical environments, conduct physical penetration tests.

Unfortunately, RAF Brize Norton has found out it’s vulnerabilities the hard way, the intruders did their diligence and found a vulnerability to exploit. The media will be hounding the MOD and in particular RAF Brize Norton for this but in truth I doubt they are alone; they are just the first to be caught out. Now let’s figure out what happened, how it can be prevented in the future, close the vulnerabilities in other areas and continue to learn. Just as importantly, when we fix this vulnerability let’s not assume that the problem is solve. The threat is always there and is always evolving, your security must do the same.

The thing is, we don’t even put a razer wire fence around the whole of our sites. Heathrow is better protected compared to Brize.

That’s the fence at the end of the runway. The pan is then only a short run away.

(As a fun fact, the new bit of fencing there is from the An225 back in 2021 when it blew the fence down during take off!)

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There’s no practical way to raise the height of that fence (even with razor wire) without recalculating the ILS minima and I don’t know if the metal wire would interfere with the glideslope. (Might even have to displace the threshold.) Or, re-route the road further east so the fence line can move with it. £millions, probably, given what road work costs these days.

Sadly it’s far from the only station where the proper security fencing is more for show than anything else as it is not 100% all the way round.

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Heathrow has massive fences all the way around. Albeit they are slightly further from the runway.

I certainly wouldn’t want to try and get over that!

Gatwick has a very close fence at one end:

They drop the height, but have razor wire on top and very overt CCTV too.

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££££££££££££

Whilst it is not a problem no money is spent

Now its a problem - Kerching!!

Heathrow/Gatwick have higher profile due to numbers of people etc - nobody wants anything to happen there. Military installations are considered by most to be secure (because they are military), until they are proven otherwise.
If they have overt security then it proves that is where the value is

Also compare the security at an F35 location to that at Officer Phase 1 Training location

How many units have public roads running through them?

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No longer security protocols - so able to tell the story.

At Marham - Victor tankers + Tonka sqns. You had to wear produced clip on badge / pass that had your photo + several letters - those crossed out = no access to the designated areas / sqns without approval. Everyone was using this as the “gospel” for access, but it was such a simplistic badge that anyone could produce / laminate one. No-one was asking for the then F1250 (MOD90 of today) for verification.

I went to OC Plod (we had been on the same flt at Henlow officer trg) & expressed my reservations. Nah, he said, it’s all fine. So, I asked his permission to do a security check - no problem said he. Got him to write a memo to avoid any enthusiastic “actions” if I go caught.

Thirty mins later (to pre-empt him sending out a warning!), I went to one of the Tonka sqns - NOT on my access rights according to my stn-produced pass. However, on the “Blue Peter, here’s one I prepared earlier” pass, I had base-wide access. Went into their Adjt’s office & said that I had come to do a no-notice security page check on a random security document - it did happen - I suggested the Stn War Plan as I has normal access to that on my sqn. My false pass got a look over & passed muster.

The sgt got the document, I did the page check & signed the page check section.

Wandered back to OC Plod, told him the story, he didn’t believe me. He went to see my page check signature. Gulp.

System changed drastically after that! :wink:

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The majority of security in everyday life is about keeping honest people honest.

Lock on a door, padlock on a gate, a fence, a camera - it all just stops anyone’s little mind gremlin from being an opportunist.

And generally that’s enough, because the few dishonest and determined enough individuals are typically a low enough ratio that the risk and loss balance is acceptable.

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As above, most security is basically telling ‘normal’ people ‘Don’t come in here …its dangerous/secret etc’

…for the other 0.001% (I hope that’s all) it is seen as a challenge/game and unfortunately most fences / gates will never stop a determined mischief maker / foe.

I reckon movement sensors that play dogs barking (from a distance …as that adds doubt!) - and obviously set off a proper alarm somewhere!, would make most people at least pause (no pun intended!) and think if they want a large dog hanging off of them in the near future!

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From my intelligence days, items such as fences, locks etc are not just deterrents; they’re delays.

A dedicated intruder will still be able to access any items anywhere on the base given sufficient time, but using the right security materials will delay them long enough that a person with a rifle can turn up and gently persuade them not to continue.

I don’t see a reason why the pans couldn’t be protected the same way the former E3D dispersal (now the RAFAT dispersal) is at Waddington.

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A lot of secure areas have a layered system such as at least 2 fence lines (maybe partially electrified where permitted) with razor wire, patrols (& or dogs) between the 2 fence lines. Add in watch towers & suitable optical devices / motion sensors that only alert from input from a person/sized target / weight.

All very expensive & hugely reliant on (sometimes un reliant ) person-power

Claymores tend to be a good deterrent. :smiling_imp:

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How’s a really big sword going to help?

I prefer the precision of an épée…but if I don’t have one of those:

The M18A1 - 1.5 lbs of PETN + 700 ball bearings!

if you have to go non-lethal

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It’s not the sword, it’s the immortal warrior wielding it

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We can’t get hold of him, apparently HQ Safeguarding wouldn’t let him through the door…

From the Telegraph this evening.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/26/palestine-action-plans-strike-next-raf-bases/

Is it available anywhere not behind a pay wall?

If it goes through and they are proscribed I can see judges having to make some pretty severe examples to prevent idiocy. How long before one of them gets themselves shot by some SAC?

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You can use reader view to by pass

I didn’t realise Barnard was involved, professional activist that one.

Hmm maybe not overkill to proscribe them then. Although I do wonder if the change in tactics is as a result of that, or if it was going to happen anyway.

Barkston Heath is a relief landing ground. If they were to attack there, it’d probably be the most excitement seen at the place in decades!