A former senior defence official has raised concerns about the security of Australia’s military bases, describing them as understaffed and vulnerable to unauthorized access. The official, who requested anonymity due to ongoing involvement with the Defence Department, warned that the current security measures are insufficient to reliably prevent infiltration.

The source characterized the protection of critical infrastructure, including electricity and telecommunications networks, as “lackadaisical,” emphasizing the risk posed by determined adversaries. “A terrorist only needs to be lucky once. We need to be lucky every single day,” they said.

This cautionary statement comes in the wake of a recent incident involving the arrest and subsequent release of five men allegedly linked to a bomb plot targeting a British air base used by the United States military for operations against Iran. The event has led to speculation regarding possible Iranian involvement, although Tehran’s embassy has strongly denied any connection.

Retired brigadier Ian Langford highlighted that military installations hosting U.S. personnel—such as HMAS Stirling near Perth, RAAF Tindal in the Northern Territory, and the Pine Gap facility in Alice Springs—remain high-priority targets, particularly given Iran’s track record of supporting terror activities.

In July, drone sightings over RAAF Williamtown, the home base for Australia’s F-35A combat aircraft, raised further security concerns. The Australian Defence Force (ADF) was reportedly unable to identify the operators of those drones. In response to these matters, Defence officials stated that the ADF employs “robust, layered security measures” across its installations, though they declined to elaborate on specific security protocols for operational security reasons.

The warnings underscore the ongoing challenges faced by Australia in safeguarding its strategic military assets amid a complex global security environment.