More than 12 US Air Force aircraft have left RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, the second UK base from which aircraft have apparently been moved in three months, amid Wall Street Journal reports that Washington is responding to a further threat from Iran. Flight-tracking data showed aircraft leaving, although BBC Verify said the reported threat had not been independently verified, and Downing Street insisted British bases are safe.
BBC Verify, using the public flight-tracking site Flightradar24, tracked at least 10 Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker refuelling aircraft leaving Mildenhall on Monday. Two more KC-135s departed on Tuesday afternoon, one apparently headed for Germany and another landing at Prestwick Airport near Glasgow. Monday's tankers flew to bases at Spangdahlem and Ramstein in Germany and Morón in southern Spain; one flew circuits over Aviano in Italy before landing at Spangdahlem. An aircraft belonging to the Nebraska Air National Guard landed at Prestwick. Three Osprey aircraft also left the base, and footage verified by Reuters showed two of them taxiing after landing at RAF Lakenheath, four miles away.
The departures come weeks after the US withdrew its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire following a security incident in September, when three suspicious vans were seen near the base.
The Wall Street Journal reported the latest moves were a response to a further threat from Iran, a claim the BBC said it had not independently verified. The newspaper said US officials were still discussing the precise nature of the threat, and reported that security at Mildenhall and nearby RAF Lakenheath was upgraded to FPCON Charlie, the second-highest level in the US Department of Defence's system, used when intelligence indicates terrorist action is likely.
Downing Street insisted British bases were safe. The prime minister's official spokesperson said "the protection of our bases, both in the UK and across the world, is a top priority" and, asked whether he was confident Britain's bases were safe, answered "Yes". The government is investing more than £2 billion in air defence and counter-drone capabilities, the spokesperson added. Education Secretary Lucy Powell said she could not comment on ongoing operational matters but that "we take the security and safety of our bases incredibly seriously". Liberal Democrats defence spokesperson James MacCleary challenged the reassurances, writing on X that it "seems like every other day now the security of our airfields is either compromised or under threat".
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: "We do not routinely comment on the activity of other nations. Aircraft and other assets move regularly according to operational requirements." A US Air Force spokesperson said aircraft "rotate between installations and operating locations for a variety of reasons including training and real world requirements", adding that "due to operations security, we will not provide further information on movement of assets".
Former UK national security adviser Lord Ricketts said an airbase "houses these large tanker aircraft. Of course, they are large targets, an airbase has a long perimeter, so they are inevitably vulnerable", adding: "Nobody knows at this stage what this information was. I suspect part of it is an abundance of caution." Retired RAF Air Marshal Greg Bagwell said "we need to keep an open mind", suggesting an exercise, a weather forecast, a hoax as part of "nuisance hybrid warfare" by countries such as Iran, or a genuine threat could explain the moves.
Counter Terrorism Policing confirmed on Tuesday that seven men have been arrested in connection with the Fairford investigation, and an eighth has been interviewed under caution and charged under Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said last month the Fairford activity was likely coordinated in Iran. Tehran’s ambassador to Britain has denied accusations that Iran was involved in a plot against the airbase.
Iran has previously called UK bases used by the US for military strikes "legitimate targets", and its Revolutionary Guard Corps said in July that bases used to launch attacks against Iran were legitimate targets. Britain's domestic spy chief, Ken McCallum, said last month that Iran-linked operations had led to more than 50 arrests over the past year and that Iran was trying to hit harder targets such as military sites. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, asked before the Mildenhall flights were reported about Iranian threats to American diplomats, said: "We've addressed it by moving people away from the threat."
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The move affects a second US-operated British base within three months, pointing to a sustained threat against American forces in Europe as the US-Iran war continues.
- Iran's Revolutionary Guards have declared bases used to strike Iran as legitimate targets, and Britain's spy chief has warned Iran is trying to hit harder targets such as military sites.
- The US decision to disperse aircraft and raise the security posture at two bases shows how the conflict is reshaping the security of NATO allies' territory.
Background
RAF Mildenhall, about 80 miles (130km) north of London, houses about 3,000 US military personnel and serves mainly as a refuelling and maintenance hub, as well as a staging area for aircraft and material bound for the Middle East. In September, the US withdrew B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire after three suspicious vans were seen near the base, an episode Britain's prime minister has said was likely coordinated in Iran and which Tehran denies. Two British nationals appeared in court in October over an alleged Iran-linked plot as the counter-terror investigation continued.
Key Perspectives
UK government: says the protection of its bases in Britain and worldwide is a top priority, security measures are under constant review, and it is investing more than £2 billion in air defence and counter-drone capabilities.
US Air Force: says aircraft rotate between installations for a variety of reasons including training and real-world requirements, and will not discuss asset movements for operational security.
Lord Ricketts, former UK national security adviser: says large tanker aircraft make bases vulnerable targets, and suspects the moves reflect "an abundance of caution".
Greg Bagwell, retired RAF Air Marshal: says to keep an open mind: the moves could be an exercise, weather-related, a hoax as part of "nuisance hybrid warfare", or a genuine threat; dispersing aircraft suggests they were "triggered by something".
Liberal Democrats defence spokesperson James MacCleary: says it "seems like every other day now the security of our airfields is either compromised or under threat".
What to Watch
- Whether US officials clarify the reported threat and whether further aircraft movements follow; RAF Lakenheath was also raised to FPCON Charlie.
- The counter-terror investigation into the RAF Fairford incident, with an eighth person charged under Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023.
- Any response from Tehran; Iran has said it considers UK bases used by the US for strikes to be legitimate targets.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 3 sources: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedMore than 12 US Air Force aircraft left RAF Mildenhall.BBC News: “More than 12 US Air Force aircraft have left a second airbase in Britain”
- SupportedMildenhall was the second UK airbase from which aircraft had apparently been moved in three months.BBC News: “More than 12 US Air Force aircraft have left a second airbase in Britain weeks after the US withdrew its bombers from RAF Fairford”
- SupportedThe Wall Street Journal reported the departures were in response to a further threat from Iran, which the BBC had not independently verified.BBC News: “The Wall Street Journal reported that this week's departures have been in response to a further threat from Iran but the BBC has not independently verified that claim.”
- SupportedFlight-tracking data showed tankers departing for bases in Europe.BBC News: “Later in the day more KC-135s flew from Mildenhall - two flew to Spangdahlem, one to the US base at Ramstein in Germany and four to Morón airbase in southern Spain.”
- SupportedBBC Verify tracked 10 KC-135 tankers leaving Mildenhall on Monday.BBC News: “Using public flight-tracking site Flightradar24 BBC Verify was able to see 10 USAF KC-135 tankers leaving RAF Mildenhall throughout Monday.”
- SupportedTwo more KC-135s left Mildenhall on Tuesday afternoon, one apparently headed to Germany and the other landing at Prestwick.BBC News: “The latest planes to leave, two Boeing Stratotanker KC-135 refuelling aircraft, flew from RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk on Tuesday afternoon, with one apparently headed towards Germany and another seen landing at Prestwick Airport near Glasgow.”
- SupportedThree Ospreys left Mildenhall, and Reuters-verified footage showed two taxiing after landing at Lakenheath.Just In: “At least three Osprey multipurpose aircraft also departed from Mildenhall and landed at Lakenheath, another RAF base four miles away. Video filmed by a member of the public from outside the base and verified by Reuters showed two Ospreys taxiing on the runway after landing at Lakenheath.”
- SupportedThe Wall Street Journal reported security at Mildenhall and Lakenheath was upgraded to FPCON Charlie, the second-highest defensive threat level.Just In: “The US upgraded the security posture at RAF Mildenhall and another UK base, RAF Lakenheath, to FPCON Charlie, the second-highest defensive threat level, the WSJ report said, citing a US official familiar with the matter.”
- SupportedThe prime minister's official spokesperson said the protection of bases in the UK and worldwide was a top priority.BBC News: “the prime minister's official spokesperson saying "the protection of our bases, both in the UK and across the world, is a top priority"”
- SupportedAsked whether he was confident Britain's bases were safe, the prime minister's spokesperson answered “Yes”.Just In: “Asked if he was confident that Britain’s bases were safe, he said: "Yes."”
- SupportedCounter Terrorism Policing said seven men had been arrested and an eighth had been interviewed under caution and charged under Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023.BBC News: “Seven men have been arrested as part of the investigation, Counter Terrorism Policing confirmed to the BBC on Tuesday, while an eighth has been interviewed under caution and since charged under Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023.”
- SupportedBefore reports of the Mildenhall flights, Marco Rubio said, “We've addressed it by moving people away from the threat.”BBC Scotland: “Speaking before reports emerged of the flights leaving RAF Mildenhall, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was asked on Monday about Iranian threats against American diplomats overseas. "We've addressed it by moving people away from the threat," he said”