Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n Former ADF senior officer Jennifer Parker said the incident was \u201cconcerning\u201d, warning Australia needs to strengthen legislation to better protect military bases from threats. <\/p>\n \u201cAs much as we don\u2019t know exactly what these drones were doing, you should always assume the worst and protect against that,\u201d Parker said.<\/p>\n RAAF Base Williamtown is one of Australia\u2019s most strategically significant air force defence installations and is home to the nation\u2019s F-35A Joint Strike Fighters, among some of the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world. <\/p>\n \u201cThere will be a lot of interest … It does sound like they were conducting intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance, but that\u2019s not clear. And to be honest, whenever a drone enters a base, you should be concerned about what it might be carrying,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cAny time you have drones on your base, you would be trying to minimise what they could collect.\u201d<\/p>\n The incidents occurred between July 11 and 13 with \u201cmultiple confirmed Unmanned Aircraft Systems\u201d\u00a0recorded flying in restricted airspace above the base. <\/p>\n According to reports from The Daily Telegraph<\/a>, the ADF does not know who was operating the drones or why they entered the no-fly zones.<\/p>\n Commanders at the base were told \u201cto ensure window blinds are closed\u201d to protect against the potential release of sensitive information.<\/p>\n The drones were not shot down, and the incident was referred to the NSW Police Counter-UAS Unit.<\/p>\n A Defence spokesperson said the department was aware of the report in the vicinity of the base but refused to comment any further.<\/p>\n \u201cDefence employs robust, layered security measures to protect its personnel, establishments and capability,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n \u201cFor operational security reasons, Defence does not comment on specific arrangements or measures in place at its establishments.\u201d<\/p>\n Push to change legislation<\/p>\n Earlier this year the federal government announced a $7 billion investment over the next decade into counter-drone capabilities, but questions remain over how widely the technology has been rolled out across Australian military bases. <\/p>\n Parker said the technology needed to be deployed quickly across defence installations as drones increasingly posed both intelligence-gathering and physical threats.<\/p>\n She noted that even where the technology was available, existing legal restrictions could prevent the ADF from shooting down drones around its bases. <\/p>\n \u201cWe need to change our legislation provisions to allow the ADF to employ these capabilities around our bases,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n While Parker acknowledged there could be an innocent explanation for the Williamtown incursions, she said authorities could not afford to operate on that assumption.<\/p>\n ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess has repeatedly warned that ADF personnel and bases are targets for intelligence collection.<\/p>\n For Parker, the Williamtown breach demonstrates the threat Australia needs to be prepared for regardless of who was ultimately behind the drones.<\/p>\n \u201cMany countries are keen to know what our ADF capabilities are and how we intend to employ them,\u201d Parker said.
<\/p>\n \u201cOur bases are increasingly going to come under pressure from intelligence collection and, potentially in the future, threats. We need to think about how we protect them.\u201d<\/p>\n It is understood the NSW Police Counter-UAS Unit is investigating the incident. <\/p>\n![\"Multiple](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/f4b2d8afabfc54743186950ff84479e65d32edce.png\")
Multiple drones were recorded flying in restricted airspace over a highly-sensitive air force base. Credit: SunriseMystery drones breach restricted airspace<\/p>\n![\"Former](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/10bda9e6360c856e445666f802480f1e1b55ebbe.png\")
Former ADF senior officer Jennifer Parker said the incident was \u2018concerning\u2019. Credit: Sunrise<\/p>\n