British military hit by two security breaches a day as defence cuts bite

Incidents of security breaches almost doubled in 2016 compared with 2015, coinciding with cuts to defence spending by the British government.

British military bases experience on average 15 security breaches every week, the Ministry of Defence has admitted.

According to a news story published on the Mirror’s online site, authorities recorded almost 1,300 incidents at UK Armed Forces’ sites in the last two years, rising from 486 in 2015 to 806 in 2016.

Pictured: 34 Squadron RAF Regiment sniper on a Force Protection Patrol at a Deployed Operating Base airfield.

Army bases recorded 373 “physical incidents” in 2016, compared with 322 in 2015, while oyal Navy stations recorded 214 in 2016, compared with 88 in 2015.

But RAF bases have seen the biggest increase in breaches, up from 19 in 2015 to 87 in 2016. Incidents at Defence Equipment and Support trebled from 26 to 78.

The Liberal Democrats leader Tim Farron said:

“These figures for security breaches should raise alarm, particularly in the security atmosphere we are currently living through.”

Farron urged the British government to come up with a plan to address the problem.

“But more than that, defence ministers need to assure the public, Forces personnel and their families that they are taking this incredibly seriously,” he was quoted as saying in the news report.

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation was the only section to notice a fall in the number of breaches over 12 months, dropping from 11 to nine.

There was a single breach at “head office and corporate services” in both 2015 and 2016.

The figures were revealed by Defence Minister Mark Lancaster following written Commons questions.

Meanwhile, the Tories have slashed the number of officers in all branches of Armed Forces’ police, and cut the Ministry of Defence Police’s budget, from £182.5 million to £136.5 million.

The Royal Air Force Police has been cut back to 1160 from 1479 between April 2010 and December 2016, while the Royal Military Police manpower has been reduced to 1529 from 1701 regulars, while Royal Navy Police numbers hav

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