The US Air Force responded to suspected unauthorized drone activity over RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk on Friday evening, raising fresh questions around US flights connected to the base. A spokesperson said no personnel, aircraft or infrastructure were affected.
Nick Timothy, the West Suffolk MP, said he had been in touch with authorities at the base and was told that there is no threat to the public, and the incident is now resolved. He added: "Given the raised threat level, I continue to encourage everyone to report anything suspicious or out of the ordinary to the authorities".
RAF Lakenheath and the Liberty Wing
RAF Lakenheath hosts the US Air Force's 48th Fighter Wing, also known as the Liberty Wing. The wing has nearly 7,000 active-duty personnel, and it employs four combat ready fighter squadrons, making the base the largest US fighter operation in Europe.
The Friday evening response came after a week of heightened security activity at US bases in Britain. In September, there was an incident at RAF Fairford and police said petrol but no explosives were found during searches of vans near the base. In October, the US removed all of its bombers from RAF Fairford.
Reports from Suffolk
Residents reported hearing sirens from a nearby village after unconfirmed reports that sirens were sounded at the base. Earlier this week, at least 12 US Air Force aircraft departed RAF Mildenhall, including two Boeing Stratotanker KC-135 refuelling aircraft.
One Boeing Stratotanker KC-135 was apparently headed towards Germany, while another was seen landing at Prestwick Airport near Glasgow. The reported that the departure of the US aircraft from RAF Mildenhall this week was in response to a further threat from Iran, and has not independently verified that claim.
For people living near RAF Lakenheath, the immediate answer is narrower than the sirens suggested: the base says the incident is resolved, and Timothy said there is no threat to the public. What remains at issue is what triggered the response and how many suspected drones were involved.
