The US Air Force has responded to reports of "suspected unauthorised drone activity" over RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, England, which is used by the US military. Officials said no personnel, aircraft or infrastructure were affected, and the force urged people to report any unusual or suspicious activity to local authorities. Sirens were reportedly heard at the base on Friday evening.
The Ministry of Defence said the situation was now resolved and that it was working closely with the US Air Force to establish the facts, promising updates in due course. Nick Timothy, the MP for West Suffolk, said base officials had told him there is no threat to the public, while urging residents to report anything suspicious given the raised threat level.S1S2
RAF Lakenheath said in September that it was on "Charlie alert", the second-highest threat level that can be issued by the US Department of Defense. The base is home to the 48th Fighter Wing, known as the Liberty Wing, with almost 7,000 active-duty personnel, making it the largest US fighter operation in Europe according to the base's official website.S1S2
The incident comes amid a wider series of security concerns at US-used UK bases. Earlier this year police investigated an alleged terror plot at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and a trespass incident at RAF Molesworth in Cambridgeshire. In the past two months the US has evacuated planes from RAF Mildenhall and RAF Fairford over suspected attacks allegedly linked to Iran, and Donald Trump said in October that "some threats" led the US to pull its bombers from Fairford. Two men were charged by the Crown Prosecution Service over the Fairford incident, where petrol but no explosives were found in vans.S2S1
This week at least 12 US Air Force aircraft left RAF Mildenhall, including two Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker refuelling aircraft, with one headed towards Germany and another seen landing at Prestwick airport near Glasgow. Downing Street insisted earlier in the week that British air bases remain safe and that security is a "top priority".S2S1
