A number of unidentified drones have been spotted over three United States Air Force (USAF) bases in England over the last six days, a U.S. Air Force spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday.
“Small unmanned aerial systems were spotted in the vicinity of and over RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall, and RAF Feltwell from Nov 20 to Nov 26,” a spokesperson said in an emailed response to Reuters.
Important Bases
The three bases, two in Suffolk and one in Norfolk, are leased by the USAF from Britain.
All these bases are situated in eastern England. They house thousands of U.S. service members, mainly Air Force personnel.
The U.S. Air Force has described Lakenheath as the foundation of its combat capability in Europe. RAF Mildenhall hosts the 100th Air Refueling Wing, and Feltwell is a hub for housing, schools and other services, as per The Independent.
Taking Threat Seriously
A spokesperson for Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) said they “take threats seriously and maintain robust measures” at defence sites.
“We are supporting the U.S. Air Force response,” the spokesperson added.
Citing sources, PA Media reported that British troops have been drafted in to help the U.S. Air Force find out who was responsible for the drones flying over its bases. The Times newspaper said about 60 military personnel have been deployed.
‘Sinister’ Plot?
According to The Times, which cited a UK military source, there were concerns the drones could be part of a “sinister” plot.
The MOD and the U.S. Air Force did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the deployment of the troops.
While other latest drone encounters around the U.S. military or intelligence bases have been within the United States itself, this one stood out.
The Wall Street Journal reported that national security officials detected drones of unknown origin hovering around bases in Virginia for more than two weeks last year. Drones were also spotted near an experimental nuclear-weapons site in Nevada in 2023.
(with inputs from Reuters)
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