British bases on high alert for Iranian drone swarms
UK bases in the Middle East are on heightened alert for drone strikes after the US bombing of Iran.
John Healey, the Defence Secretary, said UK Armed Forces protection was at its 'highest level' amid fears that the US action could escalate into a wider conflict.
It is understood UK bases across the Middle East have increased security since the US action in the early hours of Sunday morning, with personnel on high alert for drone attacks as well as conventional rockets and missiles.
It comes amid increasing fears over the security of British bases at home and overseas.
On Saturday, a British man was arrested in Cyprus on suspicion of spying on an RAF base on behalf of Iran.
On Friday, two pro-Palestinian protesters breached security at RAF Brize Norton and vandalised two planes.
In a post on X on Sunday, Mr Healey said: 'The safety of UK personnel and bases is my top priority. Force protection is at its highest level, and we deployed additional jets this week.'
Defence chiefs are likely to be concerned about the threat of drone attacks on UK bases after a swarm of Ukrainian drones damaged 40 Russian warplanes, including long-range nuclear-capable aircraft, at bases across the country.
Russia has used Iranian-made Shahed drones to devastating effect in Ukraine, triggering blackouts and damaging key power facilities.
The explosive charge of the Shahed-136 model was originally designed to destroy buildings but now also carries charges designed to kill via fragmentation or thermobaric bombs. Iran has also launched these drones against targets in Israel over the past weeks.
Earlier this month, Sir Keir Starmer said he was sending more RAF jets to the Middle East to protect UK assets. British bases in the Middle East include RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, where 14 RAF jets are now based, naval bases in Bahrain and Oman, and shared airbases in Qatar and the UAE.
Steps the bases could take to protect against Iranian threats could include increasing the number of guards on patrol, issuing more troops in bases with live ammunition and deploying more radar systems.
It is understood British bases are not yet preparing for any specific imminent attack, with the high alert level encompassing a broad range of threats from rockets to improvised explosive devices.
There have also been concerns about threats on UK soil. Last year, British troops were deployed to several US air bases across England amid reports of multiple unidentified drones flying over their airspace.
Military sources said that while it was not known whether they were dealing with a 'troublemaker' or something 'more sinister' – such as Russian involvement – there were concerns that a state actor could be behind the disruption.
Investment in drone technology was central to the Government's recent strategic defence review, with Mr Healey announcing more than £100 million to develop its land drone swarm programme.
In a significant breakthrough, a recent British Army radio wave trial in Wales took down a drone swarm for the first time, using specially developed weaponry.
It comes as serious questions have been raised about Britain's ability to secure its military bases after the break-in at RAF Brize Norton last week, with ministers urged to explain 'how on earth' the breach had been allowed to happen.
It emerged on Friday that part of the eight-mile perimeter was protected only by a 6ft wooden fence. Stretching for around 170 metres, it skirts along the end of the runway and is protected from the road by only a small line of wooden and concrete bollards.
Downing Street announced shortly after the incident that it was 'reviewing security across the whole defence estate'.
Ministers were warned earlier this month about security risks at bases in the review, which singled out Brize Norton as a 'high priority for investment and improvement'.
It said: 'The changing nature of the threat to UK and allied security means that RAF logistic support arrangements must be more resilient to disruption and military assault, requiring a different approach to fighting from air bases, and deeper, more dispersed stockpiles of munitions, spare parts, and fuel.'
The review called on the RAF to 'drive greater productivity to enhance its resilience', adding that Brize Norton 'should be a high priority for investment and improvement'.
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Western Telegraph
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17 minutes ago
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