They do, if you did something “bad crap” there, you will get detained & military trial, actually as civilian (terrorist) you will have less rights in that mess than foreign soldiers 
I would not consider civilian aircraft landing on military runway else “bad crap”, that is what runways are used for? the landing without permission will have same legal value as landing with no PPR on a private grass strip: you may also get detained and handed to police and aircraft get sized/destroyed OR asked to leave by air
During my uk IR(R) training I did several ILS and SRA approaches at RAF Odiham. Required a phone call on the morning but very helpful and didn’t charge either. Also flew into RNAS Yeovilton for the air display in 2019, again very helpful and said if we wanted to come back to call before and as long as there weren’t exercises on it would be fine. I guess what I’m saying is my experience is “ask first” and the UK military bases can be surprisingly accommodating……….rock up unannounced though and I’m sure the reception would be somewhat less friendly!
Graham wrote:
I’d have thought they would definitely have the power to eject you from a military facility and perhaps hand you over to civilian police (who may or may not detain you) but I would be very surprised if they had the power to detain you for any length of time.
Their powers are far more extensive. Of course when someone is not a threat and just stupid, there is no need to exercise those powers.
Can you elaborate?
The various military police forces in the UK exist primarily to police service personnel. They are not a paramilitary style police force and generally have very little to do with civilians. Certainly outside of a military facility they have no more power over me than you do.
I don’t doubt they have wide-ranging powers (withing a military facility) in the event of a terrorist act being suspected, but in a simple case of trespass (or whatever exactly it is) then I don’t think they can really do much more than march them to the gate and hand them over to the police, who probably won’t be particularly interested.
I am aware that in many countries if a soldier says then a civilian does. This has never been the British way.
How do they distinguish between a harmless idiot and a terrorist who is about to act?
I’ve landed at an RAF base, with prior arrangements. I’d be surprised if some bases weren’t authorised to shoot an approaching, unexpected, unidentified aircraft, at some alert states.
PS No military experience.
Maoraigh wrote:
How do they distinguish between a harmless idiot and a terrorist who is about to act?
That goes for every aircraft, everywhere, doesn’t it? And frankly I don’t see what meaningful acts of terrorism you can do on the runway of a military airbase.
You could do massive damage if you were a suicide terrorist, because you would make it look like you are some numpty who is lost and then in the last few seconds change direction. A GA plane could carry a 500lb bomb. A bizjet or a PC12 could carry something much bigger.
The military has rules of engagement for all these things, I am sure, but I haven’t got a clue what they might be.
Peter wrote:
The military has rules of engagement for all these things, I am sure, but I haven’t got a clue what they might be.
Anything else other than intercepted & identified? if you are doing 250kts-600kts in class G (a PC12 may do this) not talking to anyone going to “sensitive location” you may get shot from the ground without warning, AFAIK, the guy had an IFR flight plan to the place, transponder ON and talking to everybody…
You will not be shot with a ground-air missile: they cost a lot and do more damage than a white shinny C172s (actually most IR heat signature comes from sun/earth reflections on that shinny white fuselage rather than hot piston EGTs or thermal aerodynamic heating) but they can still use old school guns even if you paint it back
Peter wrote:
You could do massive damage if you were a suicide terrorist, because you would make it look like you are some numpty who is lost and then in the last few seconds change direction. A GA plane could carry a 500lb bomb. A bizjet or a PC12 could carry something much bigger.
Sure, but historically military installations have not figured as terrorist attack targets. It simply doesn’t fit into the terrorist strategy which is to spread fear by attacking unsuspecting civilians. (Unless we are speaking of civil war situations, but you don’t have that in the UK.)
Some of you seriously think that the UK military would actually shoot at a civil GA aeroplane??
“Oh, that might be a terrorist in that C172 flying overhead – Shoot it down!!…”
You are all pilots, right? You have presumably flown over and close to Military airbases in class G before, where if they are REALLY lucky they might have a Class D zone or generally a poxy 2.5nmx2000ft ATZ? These give as much (probably less) “protection” as the 3000ftx3km ZITs around Nuclear Power stations in France… Oh, but dont worry there are dedicated squirrel helicopters in the FAF for intercepting light GA to stop them entering them…
Strewth…
