Several unidentified drones have been spotted over three UK Royal Air Force airbases, which are also used by the US military, a spokesman for US Forces Europe Command said on Sunday.
US Air Forces Europe said “small unmanned aircraft systems” were spotted over Royal Air Force (RAF) Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk and RAF Feltwell in Norfolk in eastern England.
The incidents took place between 20 and 22 November and it was unclear whether the drones had any hostile intentions. The air force said:
“The UASs were actively monitored and installation leaders determined that none of the incursions impacted base residents or critical infrastructure. To protect operational security, we do not discuss our specific force protection measures but retain the right to protect the installation. We continue to monitor our airspace and are working with host-nation authorities and mission partners to ensure the safety of base personnel, facilities and assets.”
Lakenheath is home to the 48th Fighter Wing, which the US Air Force calls the backbone of its combat capability in Europe.
Neighbouring Mildenhall is home to the 100th Air Refuelling Wing, while Feltwell houses housing, schools and other services.
Meanwhile, Britain’s Ministry of Defence indicated that fighting drones is one of the priorities in defending military bases. According to some reports, F-15E Strike Eagles were raised on the alert, but it had no effect.
Earlier, an unknown UAV was spotted near the British Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. On November 22, the Hamburg River Police spotted an unknown drone “measuring 1.5 by 1.5 metres” over the British aircraft carrier.
The US military told The Wall Street Journal about “mysterious” drone flights over airbases on US soil. In December 2023, several drones flew over Langley Air Force Base and Norfolk Naval Base in Virginia for 17 nights. Who the drones belong to is still unknown.
