At least two bases in England hosting US Air Force aircraft are operating under enhanced security protocols, a US official told us Monday afternoon. The manager was responding to our questions about what appeared to be unusual aircraft movements out of RAF Mildenhall. It is unclear what prompted these measures, how long they have been in place or whether they are linked to an ongoing investigation into whether Iran was behind a security incident at RAF Fairford in September that allegedly prompted the hasty departure of B-1 Lancer bombers.
“Enhanced force protection measures are in force at RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall,” the official told us. “We constantly evaluate a variety of factors that determine the measures we institute or modify to protect our installations, our personnel and their families. We work closely with our host nation counterparts to minimize the impacts of enhanced force protection activities and ensure the safety of U.S. personnel, their families and the local community.”
The official declined to say what steps had been taken.
“For operational security reasons, we are not discussing specific force protection measures,” the official added.
Both RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath are major hubs of the United States Air Force. Mildenhall’s host unit is the 100th Air Refueling Wing, which operates KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft. The base is also home to Air Force RC-135V/W Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft, Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, and MC-130J Commando II special operations cargo aircraft. Lakenheath is home to the Air Force’s F-15E Strike Eagle and F-35A Lightning II aircraft.
Both bases also see frequent flights transiting to other destinations.
As we noted earlier in this article, the manager was responding to our questions about unusual aircraft movements departing from Mildenhall. They were first noticed by the open source flight tracking account @DefenceGeek.
“During the day, a number of US Air Force assets from RAF Mildenhall (EGUN) made unannounced/unexpected movements to other locations, with several of these movements currently in motion,” DefenseGeek wrote on or Prestwick (EGPK) – CV-22Bs have been moved from Mildenhall to Lakenheath It remains unclear whether there is an ongoing exercise or reports of a potential threat (following the RAF Fairford incident)…”
DefenseGeek also noted that RAF Lakenheath posted a notice on Facebook this morning calling for vigilance in detecting and reporting drones.
“Our greatest security asset is an observant community,” reads the Facebook post from RAF Lakenheath. “Remaining vigilant and reporting suspicious activity, including unauthorized drone activity, helps protect our Airmen, our families and our mission. If you see anything unusual in or around the Tri-Base area, report it to security forces.”
It is unclear what connection, if any, the Lakenheath post has to enhanced force protection status. U.S. Air Forces Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE) declined to discuss security measures. The command oversees U.S. Air Force operations in Europe and Africa.
“US Air Force aircraft rotate between installations and operating sites for a variety of reasons, including training and real-world requirements,” USAFE told us. “US military aircraft are hosted in accordance with access, basing and overflight agreements with our allies and partners. Due to operational security, we will not provide additional information on asset movements.”
The departures from Mildenhall came amid a continued flow of tankers and other aircraft to the Middle East, as President Donald Trump continues to weigh whether to resume strikes against Iran. This afternoon, Trump concluded his meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to discuss fading efforts to resolve the conflict with Iran through diplomacy.
Also note that at the end of November 2024, Lakenheath, Mildenhall and two other RAF bases housing US forces experienced drone incursions, which we were the first to report on.
As we mentioned earlier in this article, security concerns about bases in England housing US Air Force aircraft and personnel have been raised following an incident at RAF Fairford.
Like Mildenhall and Lakenheath, RAF Fairford is a major hub for US military aircraft in the UK. It is a regular host to strategic assets, including U-2 bombers and spy planes. It also serves as a stopover for other aircraft, including fighters, which are transported to and from the United States. Bomber strikes launched from Fairford were a central aspect of major U.S. combat operations against Iran earlier this year.
In late September, five men were arrested on suspicion of driving bomb-laden vans in that direction. They were quickly released on bail after no explosives were found, but two men were later arrested, including one “accused of assisting a foreign intelligence service, which police had previously said they believed to be Iran,” according to the BBC.
A week after the security incident, US Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers that had been deployed to RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom since Operation Epic Fury returned to their home stations, a US defense official confirmed to TWZ at the time. This hasty movement was allegedly triggered by new Iranian threats against the base. As we previously reported, Tehran directly threatened RAF Fairford in July over its use as a base to launch attacks against Iran.
We cannot say with certainty what prompted the increased security at RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall or whether the aircraft movements at Mildenhall are precautionary measures or just a normal transfer of resources. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates where warranted.
Contact the author: howard@twz.com
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