Two Royal Air Force military aircraft were targeted by pro-Palestinian activists during an unauthorized break-in at RAF Brize Norton early Friday morning. This incident has raised urgent questions about security at the UK’s largest airbase. Footage posted online by the group Palestine Action showed individuals riding scooters across the airfield and spraying red paint directly into the jet engine of one of the aircraft.
The Royal Air Force and the Ministry of Defence have launched a review of security measures at the Oxfordshire site, with Thames Valley Police leading the investigation. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the incident as “disgraceful.” A defense source told the BBC they did not expect operations to be affected. RAF engineers are currently assessing the full extent of any damage.
The aircraft involved belong to the RAF’s fleet of Voyagers, which serve as air-to-air refueling and strategic transport platforms based on the Airbus A330-200. These aircraft have been used to refuel RAF Typhoon jets in operations over Iraq, Syria, and international missions over the Red Sea. They also operate out of RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus for reconnaissance flights over Gaza.