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2 clusters · 5 sources · 7 days · First seen · Last updated

Australia and UK military drone defense measures

Overview

Australia and the United Kingdom have initiated legislative and technical efforts to secure military installations against uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) following an increase in drone incursions.

In the United Kingdom, the government has applied restricted airspace to 50 defence sites, with plans to expand coverage to 170 sites by December 2026. The UK has allocated £470 million toward security technology, including Project PRESAGIUM and the Army’s Project Halo Shield.

In Australia, the federal government introduced the Defence Legislation Amendment (Accelerating Capability and Protecting Bases) Bill 2026 to provide legal authority to detect and act against drones over sensitive sites. This legislative push follows reports of confirmed drone incursions at the RAAF Williamtown F-35 fighter base in July 2026. During these incidents, commanders reportedly did not disable the drones because they felt they lacked the lawful authority to do so, leading to emergency procedures such as personnel closing blinds to protect themselves.

Entities

Australian Defence Force · Project PRESAGIUM · James Paterson · Richard Marles · Stephen Chappell

Timeline

  1. [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Australian Defence officials report drone incursions at Williamtown RAAF Base

    Defence documents reveal that multiple drone incursions occurred at the RAAF Williamtown base in July, but commanders did not shoot them down due to perceived lack of lawful authority.

  2. [INTERNATIONAL] 3 sources
    Australia and UK introduce measures to protect military bases from drones

    Australia and the UK are strengthening military base security through new legislation and restricted airspace to counter increasing drone incursions and accelerate defensive technology development.

Sources

govtechreview.com.au · lakesmail.com.au · portstephensexaminer.com.au · skwawkbox.org · ukdefencejournal.org.uk