The case
What happened at RAF Brize Norton on 20 June 2025?
Two people entered RAF Brize Norton in the early hours of 20 June 2025 and damaged two Voyager tanker planes. Six people face trial at Woolwich Crown Court from 25 January 2027.
Topic
Explainers
10 investigations.
AirTanker & PFI
No boom and no ownership: why the RAF's Voyager fleet leaves Britain dependent on the US
As far as the research shows, RAF Voyagers cannot refuel with a boom, and AirTanker, not the MoD, owns them. A King's College London report says the RAF depends on the US Air Force for wider capacity.
The law
What is a 'terrorist connection'? How it can add years to a sentence without a terrorism conviction
A judge can find a 'terrorist connection' at sentencing, without the jury deciding it. In Filton it lengthened sentences for criminal damage, and the prosecution has alleged one in Brize Norton.
Explainers
What is the RAF Voyager? The tanker plane at the centre of the Brize Norton case
The Voyager is a converted Airbus A330 that carries troops and cargo and refuels other jets in mid-air. Two Voyagers were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in June 2025.
The law
Why are Brize Norton protesters charged under the National Security Act? Section 4 explained
Section 4 of the National Security Act 2023 covers entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to UK interests. It needs no foreign power, and the maximum sentence is 14 years.
Explainers
Could RAF Voyagers refuel Israeli fighter jets? Probe, drogue and boom explained
Palestine Action claimed RAF Voyagers refuel Israeli jets. The refuelling equipment does not match, and the better-documented links to Israel's campaign lie elsewhere.
The case
The Brize Norton trial: what to expect at Woolwich Crown Court
The six accused are due to stand trial at Woolwich Crown Court on 25 January 2027 over the protest at RAF Brize Norton. The first five pleaded not guilty and Lara Downes denies the charges.
The case
The Brize Norton case: 12 documented facts
Twelve documented facts about the Brize Norton protest and the case against six accused, with sources, covering the planes, the damage figures, the National Security Act and the Palestine Action ban.
Explainers
Brize Norton case glossary: every term explained
Plain definitions of the legal, military, corporate and Gaza-related terms in the Brize Norton case, from conspiracy and prohibited place to Voyager, PFI and the ICJ.
AirTanker & PFI
AirTanker and the £10.5bn Voyager deal: how the RAF ended up renting its own tankers
The RAF's Voyager tankers belong to AirTanker, a private company, under a 2008 private finance initiative deal. A parliamentary committee later said it had not secured value for money.