Security exercise leads to lockdown at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose
Intruders infiltrate Culdrose and Predannack as part of unannounced drill
Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose was unexpectedly locked down yesterday morning during a pre-planned security exercise.
The drill involved live 'intruders' infiltrating both Culdrose and the nearby Predannack Airfield, with prior knowledge limited to only a few individuals.
Participants were not informed that the events were part of an exercise until its conclusion at 11.30am, ensuring authentic responses.
The exercise commenced at 6.30am with reports of intruders at Predannack, followed by similar reports at Culdrose.
These were volunteers playing the role of intruders, who were swiftly identified and detained.
As a result, the gates to Culdrose were closed, and the entire base was thoroughly searched for potential threats.
Captain James Hall, the station's commanding officer, highlighted the importance of testing the response procedures to strengthen security measures.
Captain Hall said: "Intentionally, there were only a handful of people who knew in advance we were going to exercise our security posture this morning."
He emphasised that testing reactions to unexpected scenarios within a realistic setting is crucial for fortifying defences at the base.
The Military Provost Guard Service alongside security officers, command teams, and station personnel took part in the exercise, aiming to ensure maximum security levels for both civil and military personnel.